Northern Kentucky University
has received nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation to
attract and keep students who major in the critical Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (or
STEM) programs.
It's
one of several recent grants the university has received for STEM
programs, whose grads are needed if the region wants to keep and create
high-paying, high-tech and creative jobs.
"We have a dearth of
people with science, technology, engineering or mathematics degrees but
we have a lot of companies here who tell us that want more of these
majors. This grant is going to help us recruit and retain those
students," said Dr. Bethany Bowling, assistant professor of Biology, who
helped write the grant proposal.
NKU was one of 22 schools that received the grant out of 186 proposals submitted.
The
NSF grant will be paid out over five years. It will be used to develop
programs and a campus community that engages, supports and connects STEM
students across disciplines, Bowling said. The university is calling
the initiative Focus on Occupations, Recruiting, Role Models, Community
and Engagement (or FORCE).
Ten NKU student STEM ambassadors have
been chosen to assist with FORCE. Two students from each STEM program -
biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics - will
hold study sessions, help with recruitment efforts and more. Each
ambassador will be paid a $3,000 stipend for the year. Plans also
include offering summer research opportunities. There are also about a
dozen STEM-related clubs students will be encouraged to join.
Many
students come to campus excited about a STEM program, but often lose
enthusiasm as courses get tough or individual students don't have
friends to connect to in their programs. This grant will help NKU foster
a STEM community, which should give students a better shot at success,
Bowling said.
"We want students to meet with people in their own
disciplines or in STEM-related disciplines. Maybe they'll meet up with
someone in the medical field and decide engineering isn't for them, but
maybe they want to be a chemistry or biology major instead. We want to
help them makes those connections," she said.
The FORCE program will kickoff Wednesday, Sept. 1, from 4-6 p.m. on the fourth floor of NKU's
Dorothy Westerman Herrmann Natural Science Center.
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Dr. Bethany Bowling, NKU assistant professors of Biology
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