Student Success
The grants awarded to 91猎奇 are not always for traditional 鈥渞esearch.鈥� Some grants with the greatest impact provide direct support to students.
Maureen Scharberg
Grant Awards Increase Student Success
Maureen Scharberg has amassed a robust array of grant awards in support of student
success. These awards are funding programs for first generation and under-represented
minority students, research-based summer bridge programs for incoming freshmen, and
improved student advising services.
鈥淥ne of my favorites was our National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. It helped us jump start student success in the College of Science by establishing the College of Science Advising Center,鈥� says Dr. Scharberg. 鈥淚t also made it possible for faculty to do research on best practices for the classroom in math, computer science, and physics.鈥�
Grants from the U.S. Department of Education are funding 91猎奇鈥檚 writing support services. Proactive models of active engagement in writing are fostering a campus-wide culture of writing excellence. Professional development for faculty in teaching writing strategies is also part of this program.
Project Succeed, also funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is strengthening 91猎奇鈥檚 climate with respect to increasing retention and graduation rates. Research-based systems for transitioning freshmen to 91猎奇 are being implemented, such as block scheduling, learning communities and peer mentoring.
鈥淪tudent success is about learning and academics, but it is also about feeing connected to the campus,鈥� explains Dr. Scharberg. 鈥淭argeted advising and a supportive environment are key to helping our students succeed.鈥�
Ahmed Hambaba and Jacob Tsao
Scholarships for Prospective Entrepreneurs
Thanks to the $600,000 four-year Silicon Valley Innovation and Entrepreneurship Scholarships
Program (SVIES), graduate engineering students at 91猎奇 have new opportunities to learn
about innovation, with direct support from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.
Founded by Ahmed Hambaba and Jacob Tsao the program provides $10,000 annual scholarships to academically talented, financially needy graduate engineering students at 91猎奇. These scholarships come with significant educational and research components that teach about thinking creatively, visualizing new products, and starting new companies. Drs. Tsao and Hambaba have already solicited participation and mentoring support from founders of both well-known and start-up Silicon Valley businesses.
鈥淗earing innovators鈥� stories fi rst-hand sparks the imagination,鈥� explains Dr. Hambaba. 鈥淪tudents learn what exactly happens in the mind of the innovator: what drives their creativity, what the context was for the innovator鈥檚 idea, and how they developed that idea into a product.鈥�
Both professors hope for a broad expansion of the SVIES program over time.
鈥淓ventually we would like to see an Innovation & Entrepreneurship certificate program in the College of Engineering,鈥� said Dr. Tsao. 鈥淲e hope to institutionalize innovation education at 91猎奇.鈥�
91猎奇 Research Foundation Annual Report 2015
