Award Abstract # 1742236
Mentoring Math Scholars for Success

NSF Org: DUE
Division Of Undergraduate Education
Recipient: CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO FOUNDATION
Initial Amendment Date: January 8, 2018
Latest Amendment Date: December 10, 2024
Award Number: 1742236
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Thomas Kim
tkim@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4458
DUE
 Division Of Undergraduate Education
EDU
 Directorate for STEM Education
Start Date: February 15, 2018
End Date: January 31, 2026 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $999,752.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $999,752.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2018 = $999,752.00
History of Investigator:
  • Oscar Vega (Principal Investigator)
    ovega@csufresno.edu
  • Alam Hasson (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Tamas Forgacs (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Carmen Caprau (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Jenna Tague (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: California State University-Fresno Foundation
4910 N CHESTNUT AVE
FRESNO
CA  US  93726-1852
(559)278-0840
Sponsor Congressional District: 20
Primary Place of Performance: California State University, Fresno
5241 N. Maple Avenue
Fresno
CA  US  93740-0001
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
20
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): CJSRSPWTJUH7
Parent UEI: CJSRSPWTJUH7
NSF Program(s): S-STEM-Schlr Sci Tech Eng&Math
Primary Program Source: 1300XXXXDB H-1B FUND, EDU, NSF
Program Reference Code(s): SMET, 9178
Program Element Code(s): 153600
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.076

ABSTRACT

California State University, Fresno's "Mentoring Math Scholars for Success" program will recruit academically talented, low income students and provide them with scholarships, plus supports that enable them to graduate in four years and successfully enter the workforce or graduate school. The program will guide the selected Scholars along an intense, 18-credit STEM course-taking pathway from their first year and presents them with problem-solving challenges to cultivate interest and readiness for advanced mathematics. Faculty mentors will support these academic challenges by cultivating and deepening the pre-research environment in the Scholars' first and second years, preparing them to succeed at research experiences and advanced courses in their junior and senior years.


Many of these problem-solving challenges will generate open-ended investigation to strengthen the Scholars' sense of mathematical proficiency and individual problem-solving skills. Also, these challenges will prepare them for mathematical jobs that require an inquisitive mind and the ability to communicate mathematics well, both orally and in writing. As the Scholars approach graduation, the faculty mentors will coach them in applying for jobs and graduate schools. Finally, industry partners will engage the Scholars early on with site visits to stimulate interest in career paths and to develop high value job skills, such as mock interviews. The program's mathematics education researcher will measure the effectiveness of each intervention, as well as the entire suite of interventions, to strengthen the Scholars' intellectual foundation and experience. The Math Department will institutionalize activities as the results merit and make them available to similar institutions nationwide, moving closer to the goal of supporting the nationally available pool of mathematics talent.

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