Great Minds in STEM

If you are a college student looking for scholarships Great Minds in STEM™ is the organization for you!

Great Minds in STEM™ is the gateway for Hispanics in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The organization provides resources for recognition and recruitment of Hispanics in STEM on a national level, connecting multi-areas of engineering and science arenas to the general population.

The intent of the GMiS Scholars Program is to increase the persistence to graduation among underrepresented and underserved STEM college students. The financial support helps these students focus on their coursework so they can graduate on time, enter a STEM profession, continue to serve as a role model for future generations, and secure the country’s place as the finest technological leader in the world.

Application Criteria

 Applicants must demonstrate merit through academic achievements, leadership and campus/community activities Applicants must be pursuing a science, technology, engineering, or math degree. Applicants must have an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for merit-based scholarships. Applicants may have a minimum 2.5 GPA for non-merit-based donor scholarships. Applicants must be of Hispanic descent and/or must demonstrate significant leadership or service within the underserved community. Applicants may be enrolled full-time or part-time at the time of application and the time of the scholarship award. Applicants must be enrolled in a STEM or health-related undergraduate or graduate program for the upcoming fall semester, at an accredited 2-yr or 4-yr college/university in the U.S. or its territories. If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree and are seeking support for another bachelor’s degree OR you have already earned a master’s degree and are seeking support for another master’s degree OR you have already earned a doctoral degree and are seeking support for another doctoral degree, you are ineligible to apply to this scholarship program.

Scholarship recipients will receive:

• A merit-based scholarship ranging in amounts from $500 to $5,000 or a non-merit based scholarship ranging from $500 – $1,000.         
• Listing in the GMiS Scholars press release
• Transportation support to the annual GMiS Conference, where Scholars are presented with their scholarship by the sponsor. The 2023 GMiS Conference is scheduled to be hosted in Pasadena, CA.. Scholars will be provided travel.

Application Materials

• Application and personal statement addressing a topic determined by Great Minds in STEM. 
• Resume
• One Peer Letter of Recommendation from a friend, classmate, lab partner, roommate, teammate, or fellow member of a campus or community organization
• One Faculty Letter of Recommendation from a faculty, teacher, mentor, advisor, counselor, principal, dean, or MEP Director
• Official Transcript with the imprinted seal or signature of your college or high school (Transcripts must be in English).  Transcripts must indicate a cumulative GPA based on a 4.0 scale.
• Self-photo (used for publication purposes only)
• Biographical Sketch

Application Submission Process

• Complete the online GMiS STEM Scholarship Application and submit your personal statement, resume, letters of recommendation, official transcript(s) and photo.
• Documents must be uploaded by 11:59 PM PST on April 30, 2023.

Selection Process

• Upon submission, an auto-confirmation page will be displayed verifying receipt of your application. If you did not receive this confirmation page, then you did not successfully submit your application. This confirmation page is your only record of submittal.
• Incomplete applications will not be processed. Applicants WILL NOT have the opportunity to submit materials that are missing.
• Students selected as scholarship recipients will be notified, by email, in August. No other notifications will be made.
• Please do not call the office during the review period from May 1 – September 30 to check on the status of your application.

“GMiS offers a unique opportunity to students from traditionally underrepresented groups and from Minority Serving Institutions to connect and to grow a sense of belonging to a community.” said Enrico Pontelli, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Students participate in networking sessions with industry leaders and a two-day career and internship fair as part of the event. Many of these students receive internship or job offers from attending the GMiS conference.

“This scholarship enabled me to continue my masters in computer science,” said Price, a graduate student in computer science. “I am grateful for the opportunity to focus on the hard work of grad school without worrying about the fees and finances. I look forward to inspiring and helping other students by paying it forward in the future.”

Robles, a junior computer science major, is grateful for the opportunity.

“This scholarship has helped cover my costs towards graduation from my computer science degree at NMSU. As a result of worrying less about money and focusing more on my career, I’ve received a return internship offer from Northrop Grumman Corporation among other internships.”

Also, Great Minds in STEM (GMiS) is pleased to announce the GMiS California Health Sciences Scholarships, which provide financial assistance and support for underrepresented students in California, pursuing undergraduate degrees in health-related disciplines. GMiS awards these scholarships in honor of Dr. Alfonso Paredes, founder and President of Casa La Merced and Casa Paredes, which served the mental health, childcare, and housing needs of the underprivileged community in East Los Angeles. Dr. Paredes believed in enabling students to achieve their dreams of improving the quality of life, especially in the areas of mental health, rehabilitative and geriatric medicine, and individuals with disabilities.

Application Criteria and Requirements

• Be a member of a traditionally underrepresented group in the health sciences
• Be pursuing a health-related undergraduate degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. or Puerto Rico with at least a 3.0 Cumulative GPA (On a 4.0 scale)
• Be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA).
• Additional preference will be given to applicants, who:
  • Are pursuing careers in the areas of mental health, rehabilitative, geriatric medical specialties, or individuals with disabilities 

Applicants to the GMiS California Health Sciences Scholarship must be prepared to submit the following documents:

• Personal Statement addressing a topic determined by Great Minds in STEM
• Current Resume
• One Peer Letter of Recommendation from a friend, classmate, lab partner, roommate, teammate, or fellow member of a campus or community organization
• One Faculty Letter of Recommendation from a faculty, teacher, mentor, advisor, counselor, principal, dean, or MEP Director
• Official Transcript with the imprinted seal or signature of your college (Transcripts must be in English). Transcripts must indicate a cumulative GPA based on a 4.0 scale.
• Self-photo (used for publication purposes only)

To learn more about Great Minds in STEM, listen to the following Univision interview