Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships (CSEMS)
Washington State University (WSU) in partnership with Columbia Basin College (CBC) is offering scholarships to academically talented but financially needy students pursuing BS degrees in engineering, computer science and mathematics.
The primary goal of this project will be accomplished by targeting recruiting efforts in the south central Washington counties of Adams, Franklin, Grant and Yakima. Inhabitants of these counties have substantially smaller incomes and hold a much smaller number of BS degrees than the average Washington State resident and are much more likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity than those in other geographic areas of the state.
Impacts
A significant result of this project will be enhanced educational achievements by students from Hispanic backgrounds. Many of these students will enter the local workforce at one of the numerous corporations with substantial operations in Benton County located adjacent to the target counties. These corporations have indicated that they are 1) interested in providing mentors, shadowing opportunities and internships for students in this program, 2) very interested in hiring the students upon graduation with a baccalaureate degree and 3) interested in continuing the funding for the program after the NSF funding in no longer available. Thus, another positive result will be increased cooperation between industry and educational institutions.
Data will be continuously collected and analyzed to assist in the evaluation of the program. From this analysis, improvements to the program will be suggested and implemented. Further, through dissemination of the results, benefit will be provided to those who desire to establish similar programs.
Program Scope
Research funded by the National Science Foundation.
Duration: 2005-2008
Funding Level: $400,000
Investigators:
- Robert Olsen,
Washington State University - Mary Sanchez-Lanier,
Washington State University