PROVIDENCE – Johnson & Wales University has received a nearly $1 million scholarship grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the university announced Wednesday.
The five-year, $999,960 grant, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program, will fund 12 biology scholarships for eligible students throughout their entire undergraduate career.
The award will be administered by Kristen Rosler and Nicole Urban, faculty members in JWU’s biological and physical sciences department for the IMPACT-STEM scholars program. The program recognizes, supports and equips a group of academically talented students with financial need, the university said. Its goal is to increase student retention, graduation and preparation of biology students for careers in STEM.
“This program will be life-changing for scholars,” Urban said in a statement. “It will allow them to focus on the studies and extra-curricular opportunities that are critical for their careers rather than working quite so much to finance their educations.”
The IMPACT-STEM scholars program includes scholarships of up to $15,000, renewable for up to four consecutive years of undergraduate study, and a new JWU STEM supplement grant to meet 100% of financial need, the university said.
“We hope that implementing this program will increase access to life science careers and support Rhode Island’s growing biotechnology job sector,” Rosler said. “We are excited that this program will equip our scholars to take seats at the lab bench.”