A grant from the National Science Federation will help fund a program to increase the number of underrepresented students participating in technical fields at Cal Poly.
The California State University system is receiving $1.3 million from the foundation; $125,000 of that will go to Cal Poly. The university system’s Chancellor’s Office is matching the grant money to bring total funding to $250,000.
The money will help support the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, which assists more than 200 Cal Poly students each year.
University officials say the goal of the program is to increase the participation of underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines. It provides financial support for undergraduate research experiences and travel to academic and professional conferences, as well as advising, networking and professional development services.
