Tri-State University has received a grant for $500,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant is in support of a project entitled, “Academic, Mentoring, and Financial Support for Upperclass Students in STEM Disciplines,” which will award scholarships to undergraduates in engineering, science, math, and technology.

“The NSF scholarship grant rewards successful students for their desire to excel in the STEM fields,” said Dr. David R. Finley, vice president of academic affairs. “We are honored by the award, and I want to personally thank those faculty members who have made this possible.”

This project was developed under the direction of Dr. Dolores M. Tichenor, Dean of the Jannen School of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Debra A. Van Rie, Department of Math and Computer Science; Dr. Forrest W. Flocker, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Dr. Kajal Ghoshroy, Department of Science; and Dr. Stanley L. Yoder, Department of Electrical Engineering. This award, which is effective October 1, 2006 and expires in 2010, is the second scholarship grant that TSU has received from NSF. The school was awarded a four year grant for $400,000 in 2002. TSU ranked fifth among peers in the Midwest with students who graduate with the least amount of debt in a recent U.S. News and World Report regional poll.

The NSF is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to help promote science advancement through educational funding. The organization is a funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America’s colleges and universities.