Scholarships for Success

San Francisco State University, San Francisco CA

Investigators

Abstract

A collaborative effort by the Computer Science Department, the Mathematics Department, and the School of Engineering at San Francisco State University provides scholarships for its needy students. The MESA Engineering Program at SFSU provides administrative and managerial services for this scholarship program. The Cooperative Education Program and the MESA Engineering Program both provide major support services to the recipients of these scholarships. With its large enrollment of low-income and minority students and its location in one of the leading high-tech areas of the country, San Francisco State University offers an unusual opportunity to encourage talented students from underrepresented groups to pursue careers in computer science, engineering, and mathematics. San Francisco's Multimedia Gulch and nearby Silicon Valley offer numerous examples of the value of high-quality education in these fields. For financial reasons, almost all SFSU students must work part-time. The easy availability of jobs in Multimedia Gulch, Silicon Valley, and the other high-tech sectors of the Bay Area economy pull students out of school for too many hours per week. This delays students' academic progress and reduces the availability of the qualified professionals that are in great demand in local industry. These scholarships are directed to talented but financially needy students who will agree to use the scholarship funds to free up extra time for academic work. By reducing the necessity for students to perform nonrelevant work and by increasing their study time, this program will help many highly qualified students complete their education.