Workforce Preparation through Computing Scholarship (We-Prep-CS) Program

Hampton University, Hampton VA

Investigators

Abstract

The Department of Computer Science at Hampton University is creating the Workforce Preparation through Computing Scholarship (We-Prep-CS) Program. It will support up to 20 undergraduate students and up to 18 graduate students. Each student will be awarded up to $10,000 per year based on their financial need. We-Prep-CS will be part of Hampton University's continuing efforts to enhance undergraduate education and research in computer science as well as to increase the number of women and African-Americans who pursue advanced degrees and careers in computing. These additional technical workers will help increase the nation's economic competitiveness. The Department of Computer Science at Hampton University has a legacy of contributing to the diversity of the computer science workforce and works closely with a number of industry, academic, and government partners. The proposed project adds to the comprehensive student support services within the department and supports efforts by the Graduate College to ensure the success of students seeking master's degrees in computer science. Scholarships will enable undergraduate and graduate students in computing programs to study full-time, while project activities will engage students academically and socially by providing research and internship opportunities, social cohort building activities, career counseling, and graduate school and workforce preparation. The project will demonstrate a creative, sustainable model for recruiting, engaging, retaining, and graduating historically underrepresented students in computing programs that can guide other institutions in efforts to diversify the STEM workforce. Student support activities developed through the proposed project will be sustainable and scalable, and an integrated evaluation plan will identify which activities should be expanded to meet the needs of all HU Computer Science majors in the future. The project will contribute to the scholarly understanding of STEM student perceptions of financial aid and need. Best practices in preparation, recruitment, retention and engagement strategies will be made available to other institutions via publications, conferences, and workshops. This will assist them with their efforts to broaden participation and to facilitate the progression of students through the pipeline from undergraduate through graduate degree programs in computing majors and/or into technical areas of national need. Data from this project will be collected through extensive evaluation processes and disseminated among the academic and workforce communities, organizations, and conference attendees.