The ECS Honors Fund
Emerging Caribbean Scientists (ECS) Programs offer scholarships, research experiences, mentoring, and supplemental instruction to St. Thomas or St. Croix pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers. The ECS mission is to increase research training and promote excellence for all STEM students. The ECS Honors Fund was created to support our mission and vision. Listed below are some of our current programs which need additional support:
· Student Excellence Awards - Awards, gift certificates, and prizes for winners of the Fall & Spring Research Symposia. Typically there are two winners (first-time presenter and experienced presenter) at each symposium. Monetary or material prizes valued from $25 to $200 are highly appreciated.
· Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) - Provides opportunities for STEM majors to apply research methods and techniques by working closely with faculty on challenging scientific problems for 6 to 8 weeks. Sponsor a SURE student for $4,600 per summer.
· Summer Sophomore Research Institute (SSRI) - Provides research opportunities for “at risk” sophomores and juniors majoring in science, mathematics or engineering with cumulative GPAs between 2.0 and 3.0. In this 6-week residential program, students will learn basic research methods and techniques with the assistance of research mentors. Sponsor an SSRI student for $6,070 per summer.
· ECS Honors Research Scholarship - Research & scholarships for international STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students. Our international students are not eligible for federal financial aid or our federally supported scholarship and research programs. Support an ECS Honors student for between $9,400 and $21,100 per year.
· Math Behind the Science bridge program - Six week summer enrichment program designed to prepare students to enter the introductory calculus course and provide a foundation for success as a STEM major. Sponsor this bridge program for $25,000 per year or $1,667 per student/year.
· Math & Science Enrichment Center, St. Croix Campus - Foster STEM learning communities; by providing a supportive community of faculty, and peers to increase success and retention. With peer tutoring, supplemental instruction, and advising, the centers support the students in excelling in their introductory STEM courses. You could adopt this enrichment center for $71,200 per year.
The demand for highly trained STEM professionals is on the rise. With your support, more Caribbean students will gain exposure to science research careers and opportunities, increasing the competitiveness of the Caribbean workforce.
Need:
Our STEM scholarship and research programs were developed by institutional National Science Foundation HBCU-UP, and National Institute of Health MARC and MBRS-RISE grants. These short-term grants allow us to assess the feasibility of long-term implementation. Federal funding no longer exists for many of these programs. We need your help to continue these valuable programs.
Fund Description:
Established in September of 2008, the ECS Honors Fund is a repository for donations to the University that help us fund unmet needs in the following ways. Provide research funding for a student who are not eligible for federal funding. This could include
+ Stipend for student during the academic year
+ Stipend for student research during the summer
+ Travel to research site, if needed
+ Travel to a scientific conference to report work
+ Equipment and materials to support student research
Student eligibility for this fund will not be restricted by citizenship or part-time or full-time status at the university.
This fund may also be used to support community science experiences such as, for example, StarLab events or Robotics Workshops, or any experiences that enhance understanding of science and technology in the community.
Sponsorship Information:
We're interested in attracting and retaining more student talent by funding exemplary students and enrichment activities. Alumni and community donations are welcome! When making a donation to support these types of initiatives, please indicate "ECS Honors Fund" as the restricted gift type.
Primary Contacts: