Enhancing west virginia stem competitiveness with scholarships and student support

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Blue Ridge Community and Technical College $1.998 million on July 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to fund scholarships and student support services for low-income STEM students.

The project will provide scholarships averaging $6,000 for up to two years to 80 scholars pursuing Associate of Applied Science degrees in computer technology, engineering technology, and laboratory technology. Scholars will receive faculty and peer mentoring through a structured mentoring program, dedicated academic advising, internship placements with regional industries, and career support services. An external evaluator will assess student outcomes through institutional data collection, student surveys, and focus groups to contribute evidence regarding effective support strategies for talented, low-income STEM undergraduates.

The award period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2032, with performance taking place in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This Track 1 Scholarships in STEM project aims to increase degree completion and retention of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need, strengthening the regional workforce in engineering technology, laboratory sciences, and computer and information technology.

Abstract

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at blue ridge community and technical college. A total of 80 scholars pursuing associate of applied science degrees in computer technology, engineering technology, and laboratory technology will receive scholarships averaging $6,000 for up to two years. Scholars will receive faculty and peer mentoring and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through a structured mentoring program. Additional activities for scholars include dedicated advising, internship programs in partnership with regional industries, and career support. The overall goal of this track 1 scholarships in stem project is to increase stem degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. There is a significant national need to grow the stem workforce and nurture key talent that will ensure economic competitiveness and provide domestic leadership across critical sectors. This project directly speaks to this need by supporting stem student success, which will strengthen the workforce in engineering technology, laboratory sciences, and computer and information technology and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator that will collect institutional data related to student outcomes, administer student surveys and conduct focus groups with students, and the data generated will contribute to the knowledge base regarding effective strategies to support talented, low-income students in stem. This project is funded by NSF?s scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in stem fields. IT also aims to improve the education of future stem workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.