As of fall 2009, each academic year approximately 15 of NEIU’s earth science, math and physics majors, will have a chance to benefit from the school’s new Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MaPS) Cohort of Scholars program. Thanks to a $598,000 grant that NEIU has just received from The National Science Foundation (NSF), high school graduates wanting to pursue careers in science but lacking the financial means to get the necessary education, will be able to enroll in NEIU and get the support they need.
According to the University’s Oct. 7 press release, this support will consist of scholarships, as well as academic guidance and social programming. “Each student will receive a scholarship in an amount of up to $10,000 per year for four years to cover tuition and other educational expenses. The students will be assigned to a faculty mentor, who will advise and monitor the students’ progress for the duration of the program.”
The initiative is designed to foster student interaction, for social purposes as well as for the sake of future professional networking. “We’d really like to see our students hanging out with other students, forming bonds with each other, and working together as a cohort,” assured associate professor of physics, Sudha Srinivas.
As the program is scheduled for implementation next fall, NEIU faculty members are spending this academic year searching for motivated individuals in nearby high schools. Those who plan to major in STEM (sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics) will be eligible for scholarships and encouraged to consider NEIU as their career springboard.
According to mathematics professor David Rutschman, the goal is “to motivate students to go on to graduate school and become a technical workforce.” Already existing student support services such as seminars on research, graduate schools, and career paths, will also be used to further that goal.
NEIU’s public relations director, Erika Krehbiel admits that in the long run, this will contribute to the national effort of boosting America’s economic performance and making our workforce more competitive on global markets.