Hendrix College lands $2.5 million grant for STEM scholarships

Hendrix College in Conway has been awarded a six-year, $2.5 million Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The grant will provide up to $15,000 in scholarships annually to students from economically limited backgrounds to pursue degrees in STEM fields at Hendrix.

As part of the program, students will not only receive financial scholarships for classes, but will receive summer stipends to pursue research and internships. Participants will also be engaged in a community-based project facilitated through Hendrix College and the Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub to face student-identified challenges that can be addressed through scientific solutions.

“A residential liberal arts education allows students and faculty to develop meaningful mentoring relationships, which not only prepares students for academic success but also for life beyond the classroom or the lab,” said Hendrix College President Karen Petersen. “Our students, particularly those who are first-generation students or from areas where college-going is not the norm, benefit from having multiple advocates across campus. Those in the S-STEM program also learn, through experimentation, that failure is a crucial part of learning and growth, which prepares them well for a lifetime of learning.”

“We are honored to be included in this incredible opportunity with Hendrix College. This collaboration demonstrates the power of community working together to provide resources for advancements in STEM,” said Innovation Hub Director Errin Stanger. “The commitment to serving economically limited individuals is directly in line with our mission.”

A main goal of the funding is to help students identify ways in which they can bring their talents and ideas forward to solve problems in their local communities, particularly in regions of Arkansas with limited infrastructure and access to broadband internet.

The grant also provides funding for faculty workshops and development to position them to most effectively support the STEM Scholars through intentional advising and mentorship.

The six-year program will be available to three cohorts of 10 students who plan on pursuing the STEM disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computer science, biochemistry and molecular biology, and chemical physics.

While all students who meet financial criteria are eligible, Hendrix said it is especially interested in recruiting students from the rural regions of Arkansas and surrounding states and welcomes students who are first-generation and who are otherwise underrepresented in science.

The current grant builds on a successful effort by Drs. Laura MacDonald ’09, Courtney Hatch ’00, Leslie Zorwick, former faculty members Drs. Matthew Moran and Dionne Jackson ’96, and Director of Career Services Leigh Lassiter-Counts ’01.

Funding from the last grant supported 21 students with scholarships, advising, research, internships, and programming opportunities. The program graduated 95% of its student participants, who completed a total of more than 44 research projects, gave 26 presentations at regional and national conferences, and resulted in four peer-reviewed publications with student authors.