New $48 Million Scholarship Program for African Americans in STEM Fields

Now the Fund II Foundation has teamed up with the United Negro College Fund to establish a new scholarship program to help African American students seeking careers in STEM fields. Over the next five years, The Fund II Foundation UNCF STEM Scholars Program will identify 500 African American high school students who are determined to pursue careers in STEM fields. These students will receive scholarships, internships, mentoring, and other tools to help them reach their goals. The Fund II Foundation is contributing $48 million for the STEM Scholars Program.

LomaxMichael L. Lomax, president and CEO of the UNCF, stated that “for years, the alarm bells have been ringing about the nation’s need for a more robust STEM education and career pipeline for people of color. African Americans are woefully underrepresented in the STEM workforce, and yet, are one of the largest consumers within the STEM economy. We are proud to partner with Fund II Foundation to break that cycle and give high-performing, highly motivated African American students a chance to become the next generation of STEM-industry creators through entrepreneurship and venture creation.”

RFSmithRobert F. Smith, CEO of Vista Equity Partners and president of the Fund II Foundation, added that “throughout my career I have become increasingly concerned by the lack of diversity across the engineering and tech disciplines. Engineers by definition solve problems. Fund II Foundation’s direct goal is to work with UNCF to create more opportunities for African Americans to enter the tech workforce so that they can help lead us into the fourth industrial revolution.”

Mr. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Before starting up Vista Equity Partners, Smith worked at Goldman Sachs.

 

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7 COMMENTS

  1. I was thrilled to learn about the new scholarship opportunity for African American students. I am interested in learning how the 500 students will be identified.

    Thank you

  2. I was fascinated to learn about the new scholarship opportunity for African American students. I would like to apply

  3. My daughter is a STEM student in the class of 2017. Where do I obtain scholarship information & student qualifications?

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