Financial aid officers at each college and university award this scholarship directly to students who meet the criteria listed below. Contact the office on your campus if you feel you would qualify.
Eligibility criteria
- Demonstrate financial need
- Female
- Sophomore, junior or senior
- Studying the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics
- Minimum grade point average of 2.5
“Increasing access to higher education opportunities represents one of the best strategies to narrow the gender gap in STEM fields.” — Rachel Morford, president of the Society of Women Engineers
The Women in STEM Scholarship Fund is a pooled scholarship fund supported by businesses, foundations and individuals who believe in investing in the success of students. Gifts, in a variety of sizes, expand access to the quality educational opportunities provided by Minnesota's private colleges and universities.
Investing in women studying STEM is a significant need across the country. According to the American Association of University Women:
- Women make up only 28 percent of the workforce in STEM.
- Men vastly outnumber women majoring in most STEM fields in college
- The gender gap is particularly high in some of the fastest-growing and highest-paid jobs of the future, such as computer science and engineering.
In addition, women who have majored in STEM fields are consistently earning less than their male counterparts and are incurring more student debt. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, for every dollar a man earns working in STEM, a woman earns 14 cents less.
“Increasing access to higher education opportunities represents one of the best strategies to narrow the gender gap in STEM fields,” said Rachel Morford, president of the Society of Women Engineers. “Scholarships help start that positive trend by helping to fund a woman’s access to undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral STEM programs. Scholarships are also vital to help ensure success in those programs, as they give students more opportunity to focus on their classwork, design projects, and pursue research or internship opportunities – all of which work to help keep women in STEM fields through graduation and beyond.”
The leadership gifts that launched this new scholarship for the 2023-24 academic year include:
- Council of Independent Colleges – supplied a $25,000 Scholarship Challenge Grant to encourage new and increased giving to establish the Women In STEM Scholarship
- Otter Bremer Trust – $25,000
- Martin & Brown Foundation – a two-year commitment totaling $20,000
- Boss Foundation – $5,000