STEM Bridge Scholarship Program
Overview
Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) provides STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Bridge Scholarships of $1,000 to students attending member institutions.
A major goal of the VSGC is to help produce the engineers and scientists of the future and diversify the STEM workforce. While opportunities for careers in aerospace have expanded, the number of talented students pursuing degrees in mathematics, engineering, and the sciences has declined. To encourage talented individuals to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related fields and research, VSGC created the STEM Bridge Scholarship program to help meet this goal.
Student Eligibility
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be enrolled as a full-time student (minimum 12 credit hours) at one of the five Virginia Space Grant Consortium member institutions (William & Mary, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, and Virginia Tech)
- At the beginning of the academic year 2022-23, awardees must have completed the first-course sequence of their STEM major and have at least two years of study remaining before graduation (i.e., you do not intend to graduate before May 2024).
- Must have a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Must be in a STEM major and demonstrate an interest in STEM and in supporting NASA’s mission. STEM majors include science, technology, engineering, math, and related disciplines. The following majors are not the target of this scholarship: psychology (except for human factors), business, and applied health sciences.
Students who are members of a federally recognized minority, including ethnicities such as African American, Native American, Hispanic, or Pacific Islanders, and female students are strongly encouraged to apply
STEM Bridge Goals
Encourage students, especially underrepresented minorities, to pursue STEM careers and undergraduate research through the following goals:
- Connect students to STEM opportunities, internships, and scholarships offered by VSGC and NASA
- Foster participation in research by preparing students for success and bridging them to future STEM opportunities
- Retain students in STEM through mentoring and support
- Diversify the pool of applicants to the VSGC Undergraduate Research Scholarship program
- Provide $1,000 in scholarship support
Selection Criteria:
VSGC established this program to promote STEM-related careers and research at the undergraduate level and to serve as a bridge to VSGC’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship and Graduate Research Fellowship and other NASA related programs.
- Awardees should have an academic background that demonstrates a strong interest and ability in science, math, and technology reflected by completion of a significant number of these courses with high achievement.
- The student should have the necessary academic coursework and preparation to be successful in a STEM major at the institution.
- Awardees should also possess a strong interest in a STEM-related career demonstrated by participation in extracurricular activities and prior school projects in STEM.
Prior participation in research, NASA programs or similar STEM-related educational programs, both formal and informal, would also indicate the student has a good chance of sustaining interest in STEM. Student applications will be judged based on academic merit, background, faculty recommendation and demonstrated interest in NASA and a career in STEM. More information about NASA four Mission Directorates can be found here.
Application Timeline
March 11, 2022: Applications are due before 11:59 p.m.
March 18, 2022: Letter of recommendation are due before 11:59 p.m.
Important Links
The application link can be found here.
A printable flyer for the STEM Bridge Research Scholarship Program can be found here.