Home Events Beyond Scholarships: What We’ve Learned About Supporting Low-Income STEM Students

Beyond Scholarships: What We’ve Learned About Supporting Low-Income STEM Students

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Join this candid conversation featuring S-STEM Principal Investigators and project leaders as they discuss holistic approaches to supporting S-STEM scholars. Panelists will share how they have designed programs that go beyond financial assistance to address scholars’ academic, social, emotional, professional, and basic needs. Through lessons learned and practical examples, they will explore strategies that foster belonging, resilience, persistence, and long-term success in STEM.

Panelists will discuss:
• How understanding scholars’ personal and financial needs has influenced project implementation and execution
• Strategies for building trust, belonging, and meaningful connections with scholars
• Innovative approaches to mentoring, cohort-building, and student engagement
• Lessons learned from both successes and failures
• Institutional practices that have improved student retention, persistence, and success

This interactive session will provide participants with practical ideas, honest reflections, and proven strategies that can be adapted to strengthen S-STEM programs and improve outcomes for scholars at a wide range of institutions.

Whether you are a current S-STEM PI, project staff member, evaluator, or institution considering an S-STEM proposal, this webinar will offer valuable insights into creating student-centered programs that meet scholars where they are and help them thrive.

Speakers

Jennifer M. Johnson

Jennifer M. Johnson, Ph.D., is the Associate Dean of Student Success and an Associate Professor of Higher Education in the College of Education and Human Development at Temple University. An active scholar-practitioner, Dr. Johnson concentrates her research on college access, student retention, HBCUs, and STEM pathways. Her career in education began in Philadelphia as a middle school science and mathematics teacher, transitioning into years of dedicated work as an advisor for college success programs. Dr. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education from the University of Maryland.

The INTuitN-STEM Hub focuses on assessing students’ experiences with basic needs insecurity and their access to non-tuition supports and resources. In partnership with seven institutions, the project is also identifying points for effective intervention to support community college STEM success.

Katie Peterson

Dr. Katie Peterson is Professor of Chemistry at Bemidji State University and Principal Investigator of an NSF S-STEM project focused on building resilience and social-emotional support systems that promote student persistence and success in STEM. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota and conducts research several areas including STEM education and undergraduate student success as well as bicarbonate recognition and transport through a collaboration with the NSF-funded Center for Aqueous Supramolecular Chemistry (CASC).  Throughout her career, she has been deeply committed to undergraduate mentorship, guiding more than 35 student researchers and supporting student presentations and publications at the regional and national levels. Her work reflects a commitment to expanding opportunities for STEM students, particularly those from rural communities like the one in eastern Wisconsin where she grew up.

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