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A new partnership between Montana State University and the University of Montana aims to change that for some lower-income students by combining substantial scholarships with internship opportunities, mentoring and professional development designed to help graduates enter the workforce with an advanced degree and valuable professional experience.<\/p>\n
The program is funded by a $4.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation through its Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program<\/a>, known as S-STEM. Approximately $2.8 million will support lower-income senior undergraduate students and graduate students in MSU\u2019s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering<\/a>, while $2 million will support lower-income students studying natural resources at UM.<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe students who take advantage of our S-STEM offerings will graduate as highly skilled STEM professionals ready to immediately engage in the workforce with a combination of technical and professional skills that will prove to be in demand in the job market,\u201d said Ryan Anderson, head of MSU\u2019s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering<\/a> and principal investigator on the grant.<\/p>\n Co-principal investigators on the grant are Craig Ogilvie, professor of physics at MSU; Ke Wu, dean of the Graduate School at UM; and Elizabeth Metcalf, dean of the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation at UM.<\/p>\n The scholarships can cover a student\u2019s remaining financial need after other scholarships and grants are applied, with awards up to $15,000 for eligible undergraduate seniors and $20,000 for graduate students. Generally, Anderson said, students must meet federal low-income guidelines comparable to those used to determine eligibility for a Pell Grant, a form of federal financial aid that does not have to be repaid. Student recruitment at both schools is expected to begin in October, with current seniors potentially entering the program in the spring of 2027.<\/p>\n In addition to financial support, scholarship recipients will have access to mentoring and professional development designed to help them navigate graduate school\u2019s so-called \u201chidden curriculum\u201d \u2013 the unwritten rules, expectations and knowledge helpful in navigating graduate school, which includes how to build professional relationships and networks.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of the \u2018hidden curriculum\u2019 includes developing social capital,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cIt can be kind of a closed door to begin with that they may never even think to open. If a student hasn\u2019t had someone who has been in that role ahead of them \u2013 and they haven’t really seen how that works \u2013 grad school can be tricky to navigate. We want to make sure they have the mentoring, professional networks and knowledge they need to navigate that space successfully.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson said the program will work with industry groups to identify companies and help match students with optional internships in their engineering and science disciplines. Those groups include Big Sky Economic Development, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance and the Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance.<\/p>\n \u201cThe funds made available through the S-STEM program will provide another meaningful avenue for MSU to support talented Montanans from across the state as they pursue advanced degrees,\u201d said Elizabeth Burroughs, interim MSU provost<\/a>. \u201cBy removing financial barriers that can prevent promising students from continuing their education, this program will also strengthen our Graduate School and the community of scholars it serves.\u201d<\/p>\n The S-STEM program is expected to fund four groups of 16 students over six years, supporting 64 students across the two universities, with half at each institution.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is us coming together with the U of M to make this a successful effort for the state of Montana,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n