Money for STEM Majors: Grants of up to $6000/year, to help students
- Be full-time,
- Excel in their studies,
- Graduate from Rio Hondo College,
- Transfer in a calculus-based STEM major and
- Graduate with their Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics
Applications for the 2021-22 academic year are open from May 1, 2021 – June 1, 2021
Zoom Information/Application Support: TBD (Dates available late April, early May and early June)
Program Flyer: STARSS Money for STEM Majors
Recipient Benefits?
- $6000/year for 3 years (incl. transfer)
- Faculty Mentor (who will meet with you regularly)
- A community of like-minded students
- MESA privileges and participation
Who is eligible?
- Enrolled at Rio Hondo College in at least 9 units/semester in fall 2021 and spring 2022
- Calculus Based STEM major for transfer (Please see the list below for a definition of STEM major)
- At the Calculus 1 or Chemistry 130 level or higher in spring 2021
- GPA is 2.8 or higher (including Spring 2021)
- Filed a FAFSA for 2021-22
- Have unmet financial need
- Citizen or Permanent Resident
Application
- Fill out part 1 of the application and submit by 12 pm on June 1, 2021.
- Receive part 2 by email, finish after spring grades have posted no later than 11:59pm on June 13, 2021.
- Need help: Make an appointment
Questions? Contact us
Eligible Disciplines (for transfer)
- Biological sciences (except medicine and other clinical fields)
- Physical sciences (including physics, chemistry, astronomy, and materials science)
- Mathematical sciences
- Computer and information sciences
- Geosciences
- Engineering
- Technology fields associated with the disciplines above (e.g., biotechnology, chemical technology, engineering technology, information technology)
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The Scholarships to Aid Rio Hondo STEM Students (STARSS 2.0) program provides grants to academically talented, financially needy students working to transfer to a four-year university to complete an undergraduate degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) major. Scholarships will be offered for up to three years of full-time academic study and in the first semester that the student transfers to the university.
The college’s objective is to both expand and retain the STEM talent pool and therefore increase the number of STEM majors. The college anticipates that the retention and success rates in STEM major preparation courses will rise, the time required for transfer will decrease, and the number of Associate degrees and transfers for underrepresented minorities in STEM will increase.
With this financial support, STARSS 2.0 recipients will be able to work fewer hours at jobs, thereby freeing up valuable time. In order to further help these students meet their academic goals, they will utilize the services of Rio Hondo College’s MESA and TRIO SSS STEM programs: Academic Excellence Workshops, tutoring, mentoring, seminars, counseling, field trips, leadership and enhancement activities.
STARSS 2.0 is funded by the National Science Foundation Grant #1930037 (Nov 2019 – Nov 2024).
PI: Gisela Spieler-Persad, PhD, Rio Hondo College
Co-PI: Lucy Arellano, PhD, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Co-PI: Lydia Gonzalez, Rio Hondo College
