STEM Scholars

STEM scholarships awarded to 68 incoming freshmen

Recently, Lawrence Tech announced its STEM Scholars program to help and encourage female and minority students and students from disadvantaged school districts to study a variety of technology and engineering majors. The scholarships, worth more than $78,000 over four years, are awarded through the Marburger STEM Center, LTU’s clearinghouse for K-12 outreach efforts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Lisa Kujawa , assistant provost for enrollment management and outreach, said that women and other minorities and students from disadvantaged school districts are underrepresented in the STEM fields. LTU’s goal is to increase their representation in STEM-related professions by providing educational funding that will allow them entry. She said, “These are high-achievement students. Their chances to succeed are better due to the support we’re giving them.”

Lawrence Tech sets aside $20 million of its annual budget for scholarships. Kujawa recounted a story about the Lawrence brothers and their philosophy of helping students financially because no student should be barred from an education due to finances. E. George Lawrence, who led Lawrence Tech from 1934 to 1964, has been quoted as saying, “I think we ought to give every student a chance if we can.”

As a result of their STEM scholarships, graduates of the 14 different science, technology, engineering, and math degrees offered by LTU have been given a chance to obtain “great jobs quicker and at higher salaries and network with leaders in their field,” said Kujawa.

We work with 40 high schools to provide their students with dual enrollment opportunities. More than 40 percent of those dual enrollment students will enroll at LTU to complete their college education.