Longwood Initiative for Future Excellence in STEM
“The LIFE STEM Program provides financial and academic support, focused career preparation, early research experiences, and high-quality faculty mentoring for scholars majoring in biology, chemistry, environmental science, and physics.
Through an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to science, LIFE STEM Scholars have many opportunities for professional and personal growth throughout their four-year college experience.
The LIFE STEM Scholar experience is one of holistic academic and financial support.
- Faculty mentoring: Each scholar is paired with a LIFE STEM faculty mentor. The scholar and faculty mentor will meet regularly throughout the scholar’s four years with more focused mentoring in the critical first two years. LIFE STEM faculty also consider each scholar’s academic preparation and develop experiences to help them prepare for success in the sciences.
- Community of scholars: The LIFE STEM community includes scholars from biology, chemistry, environmental science, and physics, all of whom begin their academic careers with a summer program on the Chesapeake Bay. During this time and through special LIFE STEM coursework throughout the four-year program, scholars will be part of a community of students for whom intellectual challenge and curiosity are shared values.
- Professional development: LIFE STEM Scholars are prepared for success in a science career through work that begins in the first year and continues through commencement. Meetings with graduate school faculty, visits to industry partners, development of professional e-portfolio, and networking with alumni: it all adds up to a strong foundation for a career in the sciences.
- Research experiences: A pathway to success as a university science student is early involvement with research. LIFE STEM Scholars are immersed in research activities even before classes start, and that involvement builds throughout the four-year program.
- Financial Support: The LIFE STEM Program is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Each scholar will receive financial support up to $10,000 per year.”
– http://blogs.longwood.edu/lifestem/