A Scholarship Model for Recruitment and Retention in STEM Disciplines

Abstract

A scholarship program offers enrichment, support, higher recruitment and retention, improved professional development/employment, and increased graduate opportunities for underrepresented groups. In this paper, it is postulated that the development of a successful and competitive scholarship program is dependent on several variables including management leadership in quality sciences, cognitive/non-cognitive selection methods, operations research, active learning, and technical instruction supported by existing university student-support infrastructure. The effectiveness of the program is measured from the student grade point average, student distribution based on their STEM major, and retention towards graduation. This program can be effectively used as a model to develop activities for minorities and women, and for career interventions in areas where these groups have been traditionally low in numbers.