Emily Kucera
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Cal Poly received a grant of an estimated $618,815 on April 17 from the National Science Foundation (NSF), according to the foundation’s grants management system.
The grant is called the Program for Engineering Excellence in Partner Schools grant, and according to the NSF’s grants management system, it will be used to assist underprivileged engineering students through a scholarship program.
Under the grant program, scholarships of up to $10,000 for four years will be awarded to engineering students with high financial need, targeting students from high schools with high percentages of students who qualify for the National School Lunch Program, according to the NSF’s grants management system.
“Their intent is to offer the maximum award per student that’s allowed, which is $10,000 per year, I believe,” said Amy Velasco, director of Cal Poly’s Grants Development Office. “In addition, their intent is also for that $10,000 per year award to be made for four years, with the possible addition of a fifth year if necessary to help ensure that those students have secure support throughout their academic program.”
The first group of recipients is expected to include six mechanical engineering students, and the second group will be six College of Engineering students starting their second year, according to the NSF’s grants management system.
The program will also include a formation of student learning communities to support one another, supplemental workshops in science and mathematics, frequent advising and professional development opportunities.
“We’re very excited about this award, so we’re very happy to see that it came through,” Velasco said.