Mount Receives National Science Foundation Grant

THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) awarded Mount St. Mary’s University, in partnership with Frederick Community College (FCC) and Montgomery College (MC), an $899,926 Scholarships in Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics program grant that provides transfer pathways and scholarships for community college students to complete their bachelor’s degree at the Mount. The program aims to increase the number of low-income students earning degrees in STEM fields.

“I am grateful for the NSF’s support of this partnership with our neighboring community colleges that will directly increase the number and diversity of STEM graduates who are prepared to enter the workforce and meet regional and national workforce needs,” said President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D. “We are fortunate to have a top-notch team that developed and will staff this initiative, led by Dr. Rosina Bolen with the support of Dean Kraig Sheetz.”

The grant builds on our Mount Opportunities for Success in Science (MOSS) program, which was also funded by the NSF and is led by Associate Professor Kathryn Dye, Ph.D. The MOSS program, launched in 2016, supports Mount students with scholarships and activities designed to build a community of learners, cultivate academic achievement and promote career development.

The new grant extends these opportunities to FCC and MC students through the C3STEM (Community Colleges Collaborating in STEM) program. Under C3STEM 27 community college students who want to major in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, environmental science, math, computer science and cybersecurity will receive both a $10,000 annual scholarship and a comprehensive program designed to support degree completion and placement in a STEM career. Sixty percent of the NSF funding will go to student scholarships.

“MSMU faculty will collaborate with the faculty at FCC and MC to provide extensive pre-transfer support to the C3STEM scholars that will increase transfer capital and student engagement, leading to a successful transition to MSMU. Once at MSMU, students will receive support similar to that offered by the MOSS Program focused on cohort building, intensive faculty mentoring and career development opportunities,” said Assistant Professor Rosina Bolen, Ph.D., who leads the C3STEM team.

An aspect of the program that Bolen is particularly excited about is the opportunity to work with the community college partners to find ways to make it easier for students to transfer and to better prepare them for success at a four-year university. “We are thrilled that the grant will benefit the 27 students and more broadly will provide us with valuable lessons that will facilitate the transfer process for future students as well,” Bolen said. “The MOSS Program has retained 97% of program participants and graduated 100% of the first cohort last spring. We are hoping for similar success with the C3STEM program. The C3STEM students will be recruited in three cohorts over the next three years.”

In addition to Bolen and Sheetz, dean of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics, other members of the team that sought the grant are Assistant Professor of Chemistry Isaac Mills, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Math Athar Rafiq and Jeffrey Simmons, Ph.D., executive director of strategic planning and institutional effectiveness. They were aided by Grants Manager Kathy Criasia and Senior Accounting Manager Nichol Moeller.

Learn more!

Visit msmary.edu/c3stem to learn more and apply. Applications for the program are due December 18.