The BioExcellence Scholarship Program Grant uri icon

abstract

  • Our proposed S-STEM program, The BioExcellence Scholarship program, is a comprehensive program that supports strong academic skill building for scholarship recipients with activities and structures that enhance the living experience on campus in the first year, and career-building activities in the following three years. The overall objectives of the program are to increase achievement, retention, and interest in careers in the biosciences. In the first year, we will choose six students from the financially deserving pool of applicants, which we project will include minority students, composed of incoming intended BS Biology and BS Biochemistry freshmen that 3.0 or over high school GPAs to receive either $10,000, $7,500 or $5,000 scholarships, depending on need. The second year we will award scholarships to 9 students, 3 for each level, and the third year another 9 students will be awarded scholarships, for a total of 24 students. Students will be guaranteed funding for three years, and we will endeavor to provide funds through on-campus funds and donations for their fourth year of study. Freshmen will be required to live on campus in the Bio Living-Learning Community. In their fall semester freshmen year, they will take a college success course taught by a Biology faculty member. In their second semester freshmen year, students will take ?Careers in Biology?, which is co-taught by a career counselor and a biology faculty member. Both courses will be open to other students. Scholarship students will benefit from block scheduling into science and math courses for two years. In addition, we will hire tutors from ECU?s Pirate Tutoring Center to attend courses with the students and provide note-taking training and tutoring sessions as requested. A common academic advisor will advise students until they declare their major in their sophomore year, after which they will be advised by the PI and co-PI. Sophomores will help recruit students for the next class. As upperclassmen, students will be guided and encouraged to undertake undergraduate research projects and/or internships. Performance will be assessed by grades, and interviews and questionnaires given at the end of each academic year will allow formative assessment of the program. A final questionnaire and follow-up assessment for two years will be used to collect data regarding future career plans. This program with its combination of social, academic and financial support will change the culture of the university experience for these students and ensure their success in bio-related careers and/or post-graduate education.

date/time interval

  • January 2012 - December 2017