Nila Priyambodo
News Editor
During the summer, the University of La Verne received a $400,000 grant intended to increase and retain the overall number of graduates in computer science, computer engineering and mathematics (CSEM).
The CSEM grant is one of the programs created by the National Science Foundation, who predicts a shortfall in the number of well-trained individuals in these areas in the near future.
The four-year grant was effective at the beginning of this month and will provide around 30 annual scholarships of up to $3,125 to CSEM students.
“This is very exciting,” said Seta Whitby, associate professor of computer science. “The grant can give these students a break. It is much more expensive to be a computer science major because they have to pay a $100 lab fee for almost each of their classes.”
Xiaoyan Liu, professor of mathematics and the principal investigator of the grant, said that she received information on the NSF grant in a mathematics conference and decided to apply for it because she believed the University was well qualified for it.
Working with Michael Frantz, professor of mathematics; Jay Jones, office of instructional technology and research support director; and Whitby, Liu wrote a proposal and contacted school districts and business companies for support letters.
After three previous attempts at the grant, the University finally received the award letter on July 15.
“It came at an opportune time when the state money was waning,” Jones said. “It was the ideal time for students.”
Liu said she is currently working with the registrar’s office, the admissions office and the financial aid office to award the money to qualified students. Scholarships will be awarded based on financial need, but students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average, maintain full time status, have a recommendation letter from a professor and have evidence of community service.
“Tuition is really expensive and this grant really helps pay for that,” said senior computer science major Ashlee Bañuelos, who is applying for the scholarship. “These students really work hard and they deserve it.”
Junior computer science major Steven Andrews, who also applied for the scholarship, agreed with Bañuelos.
“The computer science major is a really large major and it could take longer than the four years to graduate,” Andrews said. “So this scholarship can help me afford to stay longer.”
The application deadline was Tuesday and recipients for the scholarships will be selected by the end of the month.
Nila Priyambodo can be reached at npriyambodo@ulv.edu.
