Rocky Mountain College
Department of Computer Science
National Science Foundation
S-STEM Scholarship Application Procedure
Rocky Mountain College seeks applications for S-STEM Scholarships for the 2008-2009 academic year. Approximately seventeen scholarships ranging from $4,000 to $8,250 will be awarded. Scholarships are renewable based on satisfactory academic progress in the computer science program. Selection priority is assigned to first-year students as a class and then returning students. All students awarded an NSF S-STEM scholarship in a prior year will be eligible for bonus amounts above and beyond the base award in subsequent years. Bonus amounts ranging from $250 to $1,000 will be given in recognition of academic excellence and may increase for each year of participation in the NSF program.
Application Procedure for first-year students and transfer students
For purposes of this application process, a first-year student is one who is enrolling at Rocky Mountain College as a full-time student for the first time, and who is not transferring credits from another post-secondary educational institution. Students who have completed coursework at Rocky Mountain College while still in high school and who have not enrolled at another institution since high school graduation are considered to be first-year students. A transfer student is one who is enrolling at Rocky Mountain College as a full-time student who is transferring credits from another post-secondary educational institution, regardless of whether or not a degree was earned.
· Satisfy all requirements for admission to the College. This includes completion of an application for admission (which includes an application for financial assistance and the FAFSA), providing satisfactory scores from either the ACT or SAT, and providing all required transcripts. Applicants must indicate their intent to major in computer science at the College. For further information about the admissions process, refer to http://admissions.rocky.edu or contact the Admissions Office by calling 406.657.1026.
· Complete the Computer Science NSF S-STEM Grant Scholarship Application. (The application can be downloaded from the Computer Science Department Website: http://cs.rocky.edu/.)
· Send the completed application along with the Supplemental Information (described below) to
Computer Science NSF Scholarship
Financial Aid Office
Rocky Mountain College
1511 Poly Drive
Billings, MT 59102
Application Procedure for returning students
For purposes of this application process, a returning student is one who was enrolled as a full-time student at Rocky Mountain College during the previous academic year and has successfully completed at least 6 credit hours in computer science at the College, maintained a minimum GPA of 2.5 and a GPA in CS coursework of at least 3.0, has declared intent to pursue a degree in computer science at the College, and has been assigned an academic advisor from the computer science faculty. A returning student who does not meet all of these requirements is treated as a transfer student for the purposes of this application.
· Complete an application for Financial Assistance, including the FAFSA. For information on the Financial Assistance process, please refer to http://finaid.rocky.edu or contact the Student Services Office by calling 406.657.1030.
· Complete the Computer Science NSF S-STEM Grant Scholarship Application. (The application can be downloaded from the Computer Science Department Website: http://cs.rocky.edu/.)
· Send the completed application to the address above.
Description of the Required Supplemental Information
Purpose
We recognize that not all applicants have had the opportunity to study computer programming or technology prior to attending Rocky Mountain College. The purpose of the Supplemental Information (required of first-year applicants, only) is to provide demonstration that an applicant commands those skills that predict probable success in a college-level computer science curriculum. The evaluation of this information is more important than grades, test scores, etc., and will be the primary tool used in the evaluation of an application.
Contents
· Two letters of support, indicating eligibility. Those asked to provide references should understand that we are most interested in your technical and critical thinking skills, in addition to your creative abilities, as they pertain to your potential as a Computer Science major. Technology, science and math teachers, employers, or even peers might provide references. It is likely that those providing references will be contacted as part of the evaluation process.
· An essay (1000-words or less) describing your perspective on the increasing integration of computer technology in your life and what you currently believe will be your role as a new computer scientist.
· If an on-campus visit and interview with members of the Computer Science faculty is not possible, provide samples of your creative work (or detailed descriptions of projects you've undertaken) that demonstrate your technical abilities and critical thinking skills. Examples of such work could include (but are not limited to):
· Computer programs that you have written or for which you were the principal author;
· Original musical compositions;
· Argumentative or persuasive essays;
· Short video productions.
An on-campus visit and interview with members of the Computer Science faculty is preferred.
Confidentiality and Ownership
All materials that are submitted as components of the Application will be treated confidentially and remain the property of the applicant; the applicant does not grant any rights regarding submitted materials with the exception of the right to view submitted materials for the purposes of evaluating the application. Applicants are responsible for securing appropriate permission to provide any and all materials submitted.
Submitted materials will not be returned.
About the National Science Foundation & the S-STEM Scholarship Program
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…" With an annual budget of about $5.5 billion, they are the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing.
In August 2006, Rocky Mountain College (RMC) established a scholarship program based on a five-year grant for $500,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to encourage students to study computer science. We are pleased to be able to offer this program to our students.