In spring 2016, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Cabrini a $649,773 grant to support the Science Scholars for Social Justice (SSSJ) Program. The new cohort-based scholarship program aims to engage students, especially female and minority students, in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning through a framework of social justice.
The program officially began in August with the selected students having the opportunity to move in early and experience a unique pre-orientation, which gave them the chance to bond with one another and with their professors before the fall semester started.
“My favorite thing about the program so far is the experiments we had the opportunity to do at pre-orientation,” said Hunter Steelman (’21), a Biology major. “We got to familiarize ourselves with the professors and gain some lab skills as well.”
As part of the SSSJ program, in addition to four years of scholarship support, students will get extensive one-on-one mentoring with faculty and have the opportunity to participate in undergraduate research opportunities during the academic year and also over the summer. The specialized program is helping students quickly build up their résumé.
Throughout their four years in the program, students will also explore social justice issues and science through their course work and by engaging in off-campus service opportunities.
“I believe that my participation in the program will look great on my résumé, and through our community service projects, I will be able to appreciate how science collaborates with society,” Steelman said.
For Klaudia Walewska (’21), the SSSJ program served an important role as she transitioned to college.
“The program introduced me to some of my best friends and it helped me form a good relationship with my professors early on,” Walewska said. “It also helped me realize that Cabrini was definitely the right choice.”
The SSSJ program will accept and award scholarship money to another eight students in fall 2018.
“Being a part of this program drives me to want to do my best to be a true science scholar,” Steelman said.
This project is supported by the National Science Foundation; Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE); Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM);NSF Award # 156460