S-STEM Scholarship Program

Using funds provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Salish Kootenai College has
initiated the SKC STEM Scholarship (S³) program. The S³ program will attract and retain area high school and transfer Native Americans and women into fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The program offers scholarships, peer mentoring, academic support, tutoring and comprehensive career counseling throughout the students' academic career at SKC.

Awards

Each fall, SKC will award scholarships worth up to $10,000 per year per student toward tuition
for incoming freshmen, transfer, and current SKC students. Students who are selected as S³
scholars will retain the scholarship throughout the project period for up to four years or until they graduate, whichever comes first, so long as financial and scholarship eligibility requirements are maintained.

 

For an incoming freshman student to receive a scholarship, the student must:

Be enrolled as a full-time student at SKC

Demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid
(FAFSA)

Have a minimum high school cumulative GPA of 2.5

Have a declard STEM major

US citizen or have permanent resident status

 

For a current SKC or transfer student to receive a scholarship, the student must:

Be enrolled as a full-time student at SKC

Demonstrate financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid
(FAFSA)

Have a minimum cumulative SKC or previous college GPA of 3.0

Have a declared STEM major

US citizen or have permanent resident status

 

Students will be evaluated on a quarterly basis and must meet the following minimum
requirements

continue as a full-time student at SKC with a declared major in a STEM related field

3.0 cumulative GPA

8 out of 9 weekly mentoring sessions per quarter for the first three quarters of the award

attendance of at least 2 of the 3 mandatory AISES meetings each quarter

completion of a quarterly survey

 

Scholars who have changed their declared major to non-STEM degrees or drop below full-
time status will automatically be deemed ineligible. Scholars who do not satisfy one or more
of the following scholarship requirements will be placed on probation for one quarter and the
scholarship committee will develop a plan of improvement addressing the scholar's specific

needs. If the scholar does not fulfill the requirements stated in the plan of improvement during
the subsequent quarter, he/she will be deemed ineligible to receive the S³ scholarship. Students' who are deemed ineligible will forfeit the remaining money and be replaced in the subsequent quarter by the next eligible student from the waiting list in order of rank.

 

Procedure for Applying

To be considered, a student must submit the following application materials:

A completed SKC S-STEM Scholarship application form (pdf)

A completed Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) form

An official high school transcript (incoming freshmen only)

An official college transcript from previous college (transfer students only)

A short essay (500 words or less) discussing the student's personal, academic and
professional goals.

Two signed and dated letters of recommendation written by a math or science instructor
addressing the student's ability to succeed in school and in particular, the student's ability
to succeed in a STEM discipline.

 

The SKC S-STEM Scholarship selection committee will review all completed applications and
select the recipients who best meet the award criteria. All scholarship recipients will be sent a
personal letter of notification.

All application materials must be received or postmarked by September 14, 2011 and sent
to: Polly Dupuis, Salish Kootenai College, 58138 US Hwy 93, Pablo, MT 59855.

For more information about this scholarship program or the application, contact Polly Dupuis
at 406-275-4800.