Lehigh Carbon Community College recently received a five-year, $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation under the S-STEM program, designed to produce skilled graduates prepared to enter the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) workforce.

The Start SMART project, which stands for Self-Motivated, Academic, Reflective and Talented, will provide scholarships for 90 to 100 academically talented, low-income students to increase their retention, degree completion and transfers to four-year programs.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer scholarships to our students who are interested in pursuing STEM careers,” LCCC President Dr. Ann D. Bieber said. “There is a demand for talented graduates in the STEM field, and we are happy to be able to help these students start their college careers at LCCC.”

Students majoring in science, engineering, mathematics, computing, drafting, industrial automation, electronics, electrical, mechanical and nanofabrication technologies will participate in structured activities to motivate them to persist in STEM programs.

Activities will include one-on-one mentoring with STEM faculty, orientation, monthly meetings, mathematics support, and more.

Principal investigator for the grant is Assistant Professor Dr. Deepika Khilnaney. Students interested in participating in the program, which begins fall 2018, should contact Dr. Khilnaney at dkilnaney@lccc.edu.