Project Grant 2221585

This $749,994 National Science Foundation project grant will support networking and computing scholarships and student support services at the University of Minnesota Duluth over six years. Funded under the NSF's STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076), the project aims to increase retention and graduation rates among low-income computer science students to 90% through scholarships for 19 students annually and complementary activities including peer mentoring, networking opportunities, undergraduate research, career exploration support and financial literacy training. Additional goals are to help students attain satisfying computer science careers aligned with their goals and interests, and generate knowledge about factors influencing underrepresented students' sense of belonging, professional identity and networking in STEM fields. Evaluation will utilize surveys, focus groups and institutional data to assess outcomes.