$953,000 grant offers financial support to Maryland STEM students

Inside a classroom at the College of Southern Maryland in La Plata students learn the principles of microbiology. Classes in science, technology, engineering, and math were a mainstay for Syria Wesley and Rodrigo Arce. Both were once STEM majors at the school and once wondered whether college was really for them. My family, you know, when you graduated high school you got a job in the government, or the post office and that’s what you did, Wesley said.
I wasn't a very good student in high school. I really didn't have the math foundation nor the language foundation, said Arce. Another challenge was paying for college, but a STEM grant from the National Science Foundation came to the rescue. The scholarship allowed me to not have to worry about working full-time. I was able to work part-time and pursue my education, said Wesley.