Guiding readiness and opportunities in the workforce for stem

Westminster University received a $2.0 million Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076), awarded February 1, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2032. The award funds the "Guiding Readiness and Opportunities in the Workforce for STEM" (GROWS) initiative, which provides scholarships of up to $15,000 annually for up to five years to 29 high-achieving, low-income undergraduate students pursuing bachelor's degrees in biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental studies, mathematics, neuroscience, and physics.

In addition to direct financial aid, the project delivers comprehensive student support services designed to enhance retention and degree completion rates. These services include faculty and alumni mentoring, a summer bridge program, a STEM seminar series, a STEM-specific career exploration course, undergraduate research opportunities, internships, data science coursework, and certificate programs. The award incorporates rigorous evaluation by experienced assessors to measure how specific interventions impact retention and graduation outcomes, and to identify factors influencing student enrollment in computer science and data science courses. The resulting data will contribute to the broader knowledge base regarding evidence-based strategies for supporting talented, low-income students in STEM disciplines and addressing national workforce development priorities in critical technology sectors.

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 westminster college of salt lake city. A total of 29 scholars pursuing bachelor of science degrees in biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental studies, mathematics, neuroscience, and physics will be awarded scholarships of up to $15,000 annually for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty and alumni mentoring, and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through a summer bridge program, a stem seminar series, and a stem-specific career exploration course. Additional activities for scholars include undergraduate research, internships, data science courses, and certificate programs. The overall goal of this track 2 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 computer science, data science, and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by experienced evaluators who will investigate how specific interventions contribute to retention and graduation rates and what factors influence students' decision to enroll in computer science and data science courses. 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.