Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships Program (CSEMS)

Allegany Community College, Cumberland MD

Investigators

Abstract

This project is designed to award scholarship assistance to full-time students in the Computer Science degree program who are academically talented, but who may be at high risk due to financial need. The goal of this program is for each of the students participating to succeed in the associate degree program in computer science. These skilled graduates are then becoming employed in the Information Technology (IT) industry or transferring to a bachelor degree program at a four-year university. The program objectives are to: 1) Recruit 10 full-time students in the Computer Science degree program each year to receive scholarships. 2) Assess the academic skills and weaknesses of all selected program participants and prepare an Individual Educational Plan for each scholarship student. 3) Provide all participants with access to all available computer software and hardware as well as the technical and instructional guidance in order to help them succeed academically; 4) Provide instruction, learning community experiences, tutoring, mentoring and other support services to all program participants. 5) Provide participants with intensive career advising and job placement services designed to ensure that they either enter the job market or continue to pursue a bachelor's degree program upon graduation. The student support structure of the project is providing a wide range of specific mentoring and advising services, special academic intervention, peer and professional tutoring, learning community experiences, and increased involvement with faculty and IT representatives. In addition, work-based learning opportunities provide students with hands-on experience and an increased understanding of the workplace and learning environment.