The CS/M Scholars Program at WWU has a mission of preparing students for careers in Computer Science and Math.  The program aims to support women, underrepresented minorities, and first generation students in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in CS or Math, and is funded by a $1 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).  The grant was written by Professor David Hartenstine in Mathematics and Professor Perry Fizzano in Computer Science.  

Benefits

• A substantial scholarship, renewable up through the 2022-23 academic year and possibly the year after. Scholarships funded by the NSF are restricted to those with financial need, but participation in all other aspects of the program are open to all CS/M Scholars. All interested students are encouraged to apply.
• Support for travel to professional conferences.
• Automatic registration in two first-year seminars, a 2-credit seminar in Mathematics and a 3-credit seminar in Computer Science. These classes will have at most 25 students, are engaging and fun, and require no previous experience.
• Active advising with faculty starting in the first year including the formulation of a four year graduation plan.
• Mentoring from students, early-career professionals and industry leaders to give each CS/M Scholar a well-rounded viewpoint. Early Career Professional Mentors (ECPMs) are recent WWU math and CS alumni, many of whom were CS/M Scholars, and are now working in the fields. View quotes from them on the left.
• Monthly get-togethers. Many of these will focus on exploring career options and opportunities for internships or research experiences beyond campus, and include our partners from industry.

There are amazing opportunities for people with degrees in these fields, with an abundance of creative, challenging, and rewarding jobs available globally and locally. 

Our program’s activities are designed to promote academic success, while developing the professional skills necessary to begin a successful career. Furthermore, the program has specific activities designed for the support and inclusion of women and minorities. Many studies show that women and minorities are discouraged from studying math or computer science as early as middle school. Thus, some students who would enjoy studying these subjects and would be successful never even give them a try in college, and never get to appreciate the beauty or depth of these fields. We welcome and encourage applications from all interested students.

The priority deadline for full consideration is March 3, 2021.

Apply to CS/M Scholars