Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) has received a five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to recruit, retain and graduate students from demographics that are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
The grant is part of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, which seeks to diversify the nation’s STEM workforce by increasing the number of undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded to students of color for STEM studies. SCSU is the lead institution in Connecticut’s LSAMP initiative and will partner with its three sister schools – Central, Eastern, and Western Connecticut State Universities – on this endeavor.
Funding for the first two years of the five-year grant was awarded on Oct. 1 and will be renewed annually in 2025, 2026, and 2027.
“Southern is a community of diverse scholars, both at the faculty and student levels, and our location in New Haven is one of the greatest cultural and professional hubs in Connecticut – especially for STEM careers,” said Dwayne Smith, interim president of SCSU. “We’re very excited that this partnership will open so many opportunities for diverse scholars to continue in these fields, which will in turn serve critical regional and state workforce needs.”
