IU Northwest Accepting Late Applicants for NSF-AIMS Scholarships through April 15, 2016

rot1Indiana University Northwest has extended the application deadline for its NSF-AIMS Scholarships through April 15.

NSF-AIMS stands for National Science Foundation Advancing Indiana Math and Science, an initiative that earned IU Northwest a prestigious grant from the NSF to provide IU Northwest students with more than $500,000 in scholarships as part of an effort to increase the number of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates in the region.

The scholarships, available over the next five years, will be awarded to incoming freshmen and community college graduates and are renewable each year for up to three years for entering freshmen and one year for community college graduates.

The scholarships provide up to $10,000 per year to undergraduates pursuing B.S. degrees in Actuarial Science, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Information Systems, Geology, Informatics and Mathematics.

Applicants will be evaluated based on financial need, academic record and an essay. To apply, visit https://www.iun.edu/stem-scholarship/nfs-aims-scholarship-application.htm

More than financial assistance, an NSF-AIMS Scholarship entitles recipients to academic and peer support which are intertwined through placement seminars, peer-led instruction, field trips, first-year STEM seminar, and cohort classes. NSF-AIMS scholars have opportunities to become instructional leaders, participate in faculty-mentored research, internships, and to take advantage of job placement services.

One major goal of NSF-AIMS is to increase the number of women, African Americans, and Hispanics in math and science in Northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland region. Individuals from these groups who are interested in pursuing careers in science, technology and math are strongly encouraged to apply.

IU Northwest Chancellor William J. Lowe said the award is a “significant recognition of the high quality of the science, technology and mathematics disciplines at IU Northwest and the importance of scholarships and academic support for qualified students” that will strengthen degree completion in STEM fields throughout the Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland region.

“IU Northwest is honored to have been awarded this NSF grant. With this funding, our campus will be able to attract and graduate talented students from the region who might not otherwise have the means to pursue their interest in STEM fields,” said Lowe. “The scholarship and academic support programs will both benefit students and strengthen our region’s economy. Professionals in STEM fields earn more, are in high demand among employers, and often create jobs by starting their own businesses.”

The AIMS project, which has set the goal of increasing STEM graduates by 10 percent over a five-year period, was proposed to the NSF by a group of faculty at IU Northwest in response to the Foundation’s request for proposals to address the national shortage of STEM graduates. The team was led by Professor Bhaskara Kopparty, Ph.D., who served as principal investigator, and included Professors Kristin Huysken, Ph.D., Dan Kelly, Ph.D., Vesna Kilibarda, Ph.D., and Michael LaPointe, Ph.D., who served as co-principal investigators.

About Indiana University Northwest
As one of seven Indiana University campuses, IU Northwest leads the region as the premier, urban campus dedicated to serving the needs of nearly 6,000 students from the state’s most diverse and industrialized region. Committed to helping its local Northwest Indiana communities thrive, IU Northwest is best-known for providing a personal, quality and affordable education close to home. IU Northwest positions its students to be leaders with more than 70 undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional degree options available from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the School of Business and Economics, and the School of Education. The campus is also host to IU School of Medicine-Northwest, which actively involves students in research and local healthcare needs through its four-year medical doctorate program. For more information, please visit www.iun.edu.