Berry College has been awarded a $750,000 grant to assist low-income, academically talented students in mathematics/computer science, physics, biology, biochemistry and chemistry. Twenty-one undergraduates at Berry will be selected by the LEGION S-STEM Track One project coordinators to receive scholarships over the course of six years. The program will make use of modern educational methods to increase success and features a summer bridge course for incoming freshmen and consistent use of active, student-centered teaching methods.
"We have all met students who are doing very good work at Berry, but who have to leave for financial reasons. We hate to see them go. This program should allow more of those students to stay at Berry,” said Chuck Lane, Associate Professor of Physics, Astronomy and Geology who worked on securing the grant with professors Ken Martin, Garner Cochran, and Chris Hall. School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences Dean Alice Suroviec and Director of Research and Sponsored Programs Laura Taylor also contributed greatly to the creation of the program.
“Moreover, there are almost certainly some students who could do very well but do not actually come here in the first place due to cost. We hope that closing the final financial gap can allow them to become Berry students.”
LEGION (which stands for Legion: Early Gains through Inquiry ON campus) plans to share its program findings with other small, liberal-arts colleges. The National Science Foundation S-STEM program emphasizes the importance of recruiting students to science and engineering, mentoring and supporting students through degree completion and helping to ensure career placement in STEM programs.
“The main goal of this program is to enable low-income, talented domestic students to pursue successful careers in promising STEM fields,” said Assistant Provost for Faculty Development Casey Dexter.
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Written by Public Relations Student Supervisor Faythe Choate
