The University of New Orleans has received a six-year, $1,998,718 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide scholarships and support services for low-income students pursuing degrees in biological sciences and computer science. The project, Transitioning Low-Income Urban Students into the STEM Economy Through Scholarship Support, is designed to increase retention, graduation and career readiness among academically talented students with demonstrated financial need.

Over the life of the award, 60 students (24 incoming freshmen and 36 transfer students) will receive scholarships averaging $6,200 annually to cover unmet financial need, with a maximum award of $15,000. Students must be Pell-eligible and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA to qualify. The scholarships are expected to provide approximately $1.19 million in direct financial support.

"This project builds on our previous success with NSF’s Scholarships in STEM program," said Joel Atallah, associate professor of biological sciences and principal investigator for the project. "By combining scholarship support with mentorship, internships and professional development, we are addressing both the financial and non-financial challenges that low-income and first-generation students face in completing their degrees." Atallah is joined by co-PIs Wendy Schluchter, Vassil Roussev and Chris Summa.

The program will create five cohorts of scholars (two freshman cohorts and three transfer cohorts) who will receive both financial assistance and structured support. Activities include faculty and peer mentoring, research and workforce internships, career preparation workshops, counseling resources, and networking opportunities with alumni and graduate students. A summer camp will also help incoming freshmen prepare for the transition to college.

This initiative builds on UNO’s successful implementation of a previous NSF Scholarships in STEM project, which achieved a 73 percent graduation rate among participants, most of whom were first-generation students. The new project also includes a research component, with formative and summative assessments conducted by an external evaluator to contribute to national knowledge about strategies that support talented, low-income students in STEM fields.

The NSF S-STEM program funds projects that aim to increase the number of low-income students earning degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, strengthen the preparation of the future STEM workforce, and expand understanding of factors that support student success. The UNO project will run from Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2031.