Maria Vega is on a mission.
The director of RIT’s Collegiate Science & Technology Entry program desires to get the phrase out to college students about the advantages of CSTEP.
It is a New York State grant funded program for school college students who main in STEM fields and or licensed professions. CSTEP works with traditionally underrepresented and/or economically deprived undergraduate and graduate college students by offering entry to an array of alternatives.
Vega simply cites the applications advantages for college students. She is aware of as a result of she as soon as walked of their footwear.
“As a Latina with a low- income background, my parents couldn’t help with my college education so to have support programs like CSTEP was beneficial,” she says.
Vega is a local of Puerto Rico and grew up in Rochester. After she graduated from School of the Arts, she headed to The College at Brockport. That is the place CSTEP stepped in. She says it was a lifesaver.
“English is a second language for me so a tutor met with me weekly and it helped me when writing papers and doing other work. This was huge and helped me be successful,” she added.
In addition to 1 on one tutoring, CSTEP provides different forms of assist.
It supplies funding/stipends to conduct analysis on campus. For college students concerned about graduate college, CSTEP supplies funding for entrance exams and textbooks. There can also be funding to attend main skilled conferences.
While incomes her Master’s diploma at Buffalo State, Vega had an assistantship with CSTEP there.
Now as director of RIT’s CSTEP program, Vega desires to let extra college students know all that’s accessible to college students right here.
“RIT’s CSTEP grant serves 150 students. 36 graduated this past May so there is now room for more. That’s why a recruitment effort is currently underway to bring in (25) more students by February 15, 2020,” she says.
She is reaching out campus extensive holding conferences with everybody from pupil teams to affiliate deans to get the phrase out. She’s relying on the continued help from the school advisory board as nicely to assist determine eligible college students.
Vega is proud to share success tales. One of the state necessities is that college students have a 2.5 GPA. Vega says RIT CSTEP college students have a 3.0 GPA. And along with the 36 college students who graduated in May, 29 accomplished Co-op applications with corporations like Google, Excellus, Wegmans and Microsoft. Nine college students accomplished analysis and 3 college students received scholarships by way of RIT’s Community Impact Awards Program.
She is aware of the program works.
To apply please go to: rit.edu/diversity/cstep/apply or contact Maria instantly at [email protected]