S-stem: supporting talented, low-income graduate students via internships while completing their degrees

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Montana State University $4.816 million on October 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to support low-income, high-achieving undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in engineering and natural sciences.

The project will provide scholarships of up to $15,000 for undergraduates and up to $20,000 for graduate students to 64 scholars across Montana State University and the University of Montana. A core component is structured internship opportunities integrated before and through graduate studies. The award funds faculty mentoring, cohort-building activities including an annual kick-off event and service projects, career planning workshops, graduate school application support, and professional networking opportunities. Project research will employ a mixed-method approach to assess how these components affect scholars' self-efficacy, professional aspirations, and career planning, with evaluation by an experienced external evaluator.

The project runs through September 30, 2032, with performance in Bozeman, Montana. The funding aligns with the federal need to increase STEM degree completion and workforce development in engineering, natural resources, and related fields.

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 montana state university and the university of montana. A total of 64 scholars pursuing bachelor?s and master?s degrees in engineering and the natural sciences will receive scholarships of up to $15,000 for undergraduates and up to $20,000 for graduate students. A key aspect of the project is the opportunity for scholars to engage in internship opportunities prior to and through their graduate studies. Scholars will receive faculty mentoring and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through an annual kick-off event, service projects, engagement in activities through recreation and student health services, and social events offered through campus partners. Additional activities for scholars include career planning, graduate school application workshops, and professional networking opportunities. The overall goal of this track 3 scholarships in stem project is to increase stem degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduates and graduate students 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, natural resources, and other key areas of need. Project research will use a mixed-method approach to explore how project components impact scholars? Self-efficacy, professional aspirations, and career planning. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator 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 planned for this award.