Innovative and Meaningful Mentoring to Enhance Retention, Success, and Engagement in STEM.

The goal of the project is to support the retention and graduation of high‑achieving, low‑income Skyline College students with demonstrated financial need and who are advancing toward an associate degree or transfer to a four‑year university to earn a degree in:

  • Biology (except medicine and other clinical fields),
  • Biotechnology,
  • Chemistry,
  • Computer Science,
  • Engineering,
  • Mathematics, or
  • Physics.
Apply Now  

Awards are limited to 1-4 semesters at a maximum of $5000 per semester based on financial need.

Applications from Fall 2025 onward are accepted as space allows.

Four Skyline students stand in front of the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

IMMERSE in STEM scholars will receive scholarships of up to $5,000 per semester.

In addition to scholarships, the program incorporates a transformative approach to mentoring, and innovative supports intended to address financial and academic barriers.

Eligibility

To be eligible for IMMERSE in STEM, you must:

  • be a US citizen
  • have an intended major or area of study in
    • Biology (except medicine and other clinical fields),
    • Biotechnology,
    • Chemistry,
    • Computer Science,
    • Engineering,
    • Mathematics, or
    • Physics
  • have a non-zero financial need.
  • must not have received a Bachelor’s degree in the US or any foreign country
  • be willing to enroll in at least 12 units during the semester of the scholarship
A group of IMMERSE students stand outside the Dexterity.AI warehouse.

How to Prepare

  • Fill out your FASFA Application 
    • Need help? Assistance is available through the Financial Aid Office.
    • You will then be able to check your financial need in WebSmart.
  • Ask a STEM professor to provide a reccomendation
    • Ask one of your recent or current STEM professors if they can provide a recommendation for you. You will need to provide their name and email address in your application.
  • Gather your transcripts
    • Prepare copies of your transcripts showing all coursework at Skyline College and at any other college you have attended.
  • Prepare your statement of purpose.
    • You will be asked to answer the following questions (250 word limit per question):
    1. What inspired your interest in pursuing a career in STEM? 
    2. How will transferring to a 4-year university and receiving your Bachelor’s degree help you meet your long-term professional goals and help you build financial security?
    3. Mentorship is an important part of the IMMERSE in STEM program. How will having a faculty mentor help you meet your academic goals?
    4. Please describe any educational barriers you've had to overcome to stay on track to transfer to a 4-year university, and include how you were able to overcome them. In particular, if your overall GPA is less than 3.0, please explain what circumstances have prevented you from achieving your academic goals.
    5. One of the goals of this program is to remove barriers to students’ success, by enabling some part-time students to move to a full-time status, for example. Please describe how receiving an IMMERSE in STEM scholarship will impact your academic success. 
IMMERSE student shows his poster presentation to a person at a conference
Apply Now  

Awards are limited to 1-4 semesters at a maximum of $5000 per semester based on financial need.

Applications from Fall 2025 onward are accepted as space allows.

Questions? Please contact Emilie Hein at heine@smccd.edu or Rick Hough at hough@smccd.edu

The IMMERSE in STEM project at Skyline College is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s S-STEM program.