S-stem, institutional capacity building: pathways to success - supporting undergraduate students at a rural college of technology

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded The Research Foundation For The State University Of New York $1,999,080 on May 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to support undergraduate scholarship and retention activities at SUNY College of Technology Alfred.

The award funds scholarships averaging $11,000 annually for up to five years to 50 high-achieving, low-income scholars pursuing associate degrees in Engineering Technology and bachelor's degrees in Engineering Technology, Mechatronics Technology, and Construction Management. Scholars receive faculty and peer mentoring, participate in a living-learning community with a STEM skill-building course, and access success coaching and professional development activities. The project establishes strong scholar cohorts designed to increase STEM degree completion and strengthen the engineering technology workforce.

Performance occurs in Alfred, New York, with a period of performance extending through April 30, 2032. An experienced external evaluator will provide formative and summative feedback to contribute to the knowledge base on effective strategies supporting talented, low-income students in STEM fields. The assistance type is a Project Grant.

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 suny college of technology alfred. A total of 50 scholars pursuing associate?S degrees in engineering technology and bachelor?S degrees in engineering technology, mechatronics technology, and construction management will receive scholarships averaging $11,000 for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty and peer mentoring and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through a living-learning community and a stem skill building course. Additional activities for scholars include success coaching and professional development activities. The overall goal of this track 1 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 and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluators that will provide both formative and summative feedback, 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.