At the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year, NSF awarded DePaul's College of Science and Health a $1 million grant to support STEM undergraduate student retention and graduation. The Engage and Persist in STEM Project, or EPISTEM, will award annual scholarships of $10,000 for four years to two cohorts of eight freshmen who are STEM majors.
“This is a rigorous program. Students will be well mentored and have ample opportunities to do research," says Jim Montgomery, the principal investigator for the grant and associate professor of environmental science. “We need to give them every opportunity to wear the cap of a scientist. It's about developing a growth mindset."
Among its goals, the EPISTEM project aims to create pathways for low-income, academically talented students to enter graduate programs and the STEM workforce. Extensive mentoring and career coaching programs will be at the center of the project, and scholarships will be awarded to the first freshman cohort in fall 2021.
“This is a true interdisciplinary collaboration across the university," says Susan McMahon, CSH associate dean for research, professor of psychology, STEM administrator and co-principal investigator. “The EPISTEM project is a shining showpiece for our college, promoting research across boundaries. It is designed to provide unique opportunities to enhance success among low-income students, connecting directly to DePaul's mission." Read more about this initiative here.