UC Santa Cruz has received a five-year, $600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for scholarships and support programs to help talented but financially needy students complete bachelor's degrees in physics or astrophysics.
Adriane Steinacker, associate adjunct professor of astronomy and astrophysics, and David Belanger, professor and chair of physics, will direct the program.
Eligible students will be supported as they make the transition to UCSC from four regional community colleges: Cabrillo College, Hartnell College, De Anza College, and Foothill College. This represents a pool of students who may never have thought of a college degree as a real option, Steinacker said.
"The program will be seeding the idea that obtaining a higher education degree is within their realm of possibility. The success that is envisioned for this first-generation of awardees will, in turn, act as seed for coming generations," she said.
Mentors for the program will include many faculty at UCSC as well as from the community colleges.
