Success with S-STEM: The Appalachian High Achievers in STEM

Since 1999, the National Science Foundation has supported a program that provides scholarships to low income students who pursue degrees in computer science, engineering, or mathematics. Originally, this program was called "Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships" (CSEMS). In 2004, the program was renamed "Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics" (S-STEM) and modified to include students from physical and life sciences. Appalachian State University (App State) has been the recipient of five CSEMS/S-STEM awards since 2001. Nearly all of the students in these programs experienced high levels of financial need and the majority were first generation college students. Our CSEMS and S-STEM programs have consistently maintained high rates of retention, significantly higher than national retention rates for these majors. Our current S-STEM program incorporates students from chemistry, geology, and physics and astronomy in addition to computer science and mathematics. We have also been able to maintain high rates of retention, over 88 percent, for this more diverse group of majors. We attribute this success to addressing financial, academic, and social barriers to success in STEM. This paper discusses the components of our current S-STEM program, The Appalachian High Achievers in STEM.