Starting your Own S-STEM Program

Creating and implementing your own STEM Scholarships & Grants program can be easier than you think. Much like formal recruitment processes, STEM marketing is about drawing in a certain type of Student. Creating a controlled and targeted Campaign that will reach your demographic is going to be the most key area here.

Recruiting Your Future STEM Applicants!
Much like Traditional Marketing and Advertising, you must follow the 4 P’s - Placement, Price, Product and Positioning. Know your market and your target audience. You’ll want to use all venues of distribution here; from Printed Ad’s (Such as the Classifieds, Local Newspapers, etc), to Direct Mail, onto Billboards and of course, the Online Market. Create your message so that it’s clear to the individual applying you are offering a Grant or a Scholarship. Make sure to include your call to action and method of contact.

Process your Applications –
Just like any other program, you must ensure that the application contains the necessary requirements in order to be approved. Guidelines to follow include, but are not limited to:
Verify bottom-line criteria have been met.
Ensure the Financial Need is on scope with the Financial-Aid office.
Evaluate the Qualifying Candidates. This will include, but is not limited to:
Address
Citizenship
High School / G.E.D. Experience
Previous college Experience
Program of Study / Personal Goals
Ethnicity
Currently Employed
Etc – The list will continue to go on depending on the requirements of your program. You can find a list of other Companies / Colleges & Universities currently employing the STEM program below:
http://www.stemedcoalition.org/

Interview your Candidates- This is a non-instructional piece of information; it is up to the interviewers’ sole-discretion as to whether or not the individual is qualified to for this program.
After you have completed the Interview, notify the individual that they have been Accepted [or Denied] for your program.

Collecting and Certifying Information –
If you are at this stage of the process, then the individual has completed all work necessary to be approved. You will now create their file and append all necessary information. This will be your ‘Personal Data Sheet’ to keep record of the individual, their history, and their accomplishments under the S.T.E.M. program.

For more information on how to start your own S-S.T.E.M. please visit the National Science Board website.