STARS is a collaborative project among four partner institutions - Salish Kootenai College, the University of Montana, Montana Technological University, and Blackfeet Community College. It is a scholarship program sponsored by the National Science Foundation and is based on the premise that building a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workforce that can successfully solve complex problems must include all segments of our population.

STARS focuses on three goals: (1) supporting STARS scholars with a suite of services; (2) promoting institutional change through professional development and evaluation of organizational collaboration; and (3) understanding the integrated STEM identity.

What does STARS offer:

• 5 - 8 new scholarships at each of the three partner institutions of up to $10,000 per academic year for undergraduates or associate-level students in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). We are looking for STEM students with demonstrable financial need and intellectual curiosity. Scholarships are renewable for up to 4 years for those who achieve academic success.
• Supportive services to ensure our STEM scholars are successful - mentoring, tutoring, freshman seminar, math enrichment, professional development, networking, and research experiences.
• Professional development for Faculty, Staff, and Administrators.