Two Students Selected for New STEM Bridge Scholarships

To encourage talented underserved and underrepresented individuals (women, minorities and persons with disabilities) to pursue STEM related careers, in the Fall 2019 semester, NC Space Grant issued the STEM Bridge Scholarship for Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) Students. This new competitive scholarship program was created for underserved and underrepresented freshman and sophomore undergraduate students and was designed to:

• Provide financial support to underrepresented students who demonstrate the potential to contribute to the future STEM workforce;
• Promote STEM-related careers and research at the undergraduate level and to serve as a bridge to NCSG’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship, Graduate Research Fellowship and other NASA-related programs.
• Connect underserved and underrepresented students to faculty and peers (e.g. NC Space Grant-supported students) who are conducting research at their institution; and
• Foster an understanding of NASA Mission Directorate research and pathways to NASA internships.
  

Students awarded the scholarship will have the opportunity to discuss academic and career pathways with a NASA scientist, research about NASA’s current missions or planned missions from any of the four NASA Mission Directorates (Aeronautics Research, Human Exploration and Operations, Science, and Space Technology), interview a faculty member conducting NASA-related research in an area of interest, attend the 2020 NC Space Symposium, and apply for a NASA internship.

NC Space Grant has selected two recipients for the inaugural STEM Bridge Scholarships for MSI Students and would like to congratulate these students:

Tiffany Bramblett, Lumberton, North Carolina

Bramblett is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNC Pembroke). She is interested in chemistry and physics, and is currently majoring in chemistry. As a Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) Leader in the biology department at UNC Pembroke, Bramblett helps lower-level bio students improve their grades and helps them manage a potentially overwhelming college workload. She enjoys working with small numbers and precision in her lab experiments. This award will expose her to different aspects of science that NASA utilizes for space flight. Bramblett’s faculty advisor, physics professor William Brandon, commends her academic dedication, exemplary work ethic and  encouraging leadership style.

Terrill Jones, Greensboro, North Carolina

Jones is a sophomore at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T). Jones has always aspired to be an engineer, with interest in methods that can make processes more efficient. Jones has always enjoyed science and math and is currently majoring in engineering (chemical, biological and bioengineering). Jones hopes to research efficient and economical solar energy. Jones is a member of the local chapters of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the National Society of Black Engineers. Jones’ faculty advisor, Jeffrey Alston, an assistant professor of nanoengineering in the Department of Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, has been impressed by his capacity and willingness to learn new topics. As a result of Jones’ contributions to experimental data collection on a research endeavor, he will be listed as an author in an upcoming peer-reviewed publication. 

NC Space Grant is committed to building inclusive research, education and public outreach programs that serve people with unique backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives and ways of thinking. NC Space Grant strongly encourages students from diverse backgrounds to apply for every fellowship and scholarship opportunity, but is pleased to offer this new scholarship in the hopes of fostering new relationships with faculty and students at colleges and universities that have served the needs and enabled the aspirations of historically underserved communities for decades.

Read more about the STEM Bridge Scholarship for Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) Students.