S-STEM at SJSU

Who should apply to the S-STEM Geoscience for Society (Geo4Society) program?

First-year and second-year and transfer students who have been accepted to SJSU for the B.S. in Geology or B.S. in Earth System Science and have demonstrated unmet financial need should apply. Detailed eligibility criteria are provided below. The deadline to apply to S-STEM is May 23rd 2025 for consideration for the Fall 2025 semester. 

What is S-STEM

S-STEM is a National Science Foundation funded program to provide scholarships and support structures to students pursuing science degrees in topics of strategic need to the United States. The goals of the S-STEM Geo4Society program at San Jose State are to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in two Geology BS degrees through financial aid and program activities and to develop student networks and career-readiness for entry into societally relevant geoscience jobs. 

What should you expect in the S-STEM Geoscience for Society program?

• Inclusion in a cohort of like-minded students who are all beginning their geoscience journey alongside you.

• Weekly workshops dedicated to the “hidden curriculum” of succeeding in a STEM degree including study skills, research skills, time management and organization, communicating with faculty and future employers, network development, job application and resume construction, and addressing mental health among other topics.

• Graduate student mentors and tutors who are here to guide you through tough coursework and providing a place to reflect and develop your academic and extracurricular plans

• Faculty mentors from the day you apply through the front door of your first job out of college or to graduate school, and beyond!

• Alumni mentors who provide a knowledgeable sounding board to explore career goals

• Trips to visit Bay Area geoscience organizations like the United States Geological Survey and Santa Clara Valley Water to experience a “day in the life” of local geoscientists and expand your network. 

• Networking opportunities on and off campus at student research symposium, alumni events, and dedicated networking events. 

• Paid research opportunities in SJSU geoscience labs that help build career skills and apply course knowledge to real-world geoscience solutions 

• Paid outreach opportunities to develop and deliver field trips for high school students, build outreach modules for events at Henry Coe State Park and more!

• Guidance to develop a portfolio to capture your progress, skills, and accomplishments so you’re ready for that first job application or interview

Application Criteria and Instructions

Potential Geo4Society scholars must be U.S. citizens, nationals of the U.S., foreigners admitted as refugees under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, or foreigners lawfully admitted to the U.S. for permanent residence. Additionally, potential Geo4Society scholars must be enrolled at least half-time in either the BS Geology or BS Earth System Science degree program. 

Students must also meet the three additional eligibility requirements for scholars: 

1. low-income status, 

2. demonstrated unmet financial need per FAFSA

3. academic ability, talent, or potential. 

All students who meet these eligibility requirements will have an equal opportunity to receive scholarships, regardless of any other factors.

How the application process will work

The SJSU Office of Financial Aid will use information from students provisionally admitted to SJSU for the BS Geology and BS Earth System Science to confirm a student’s financial eligibility for the Geo4Society program. The Office of Financial Aid will also determine each student’s unmet financial need to determine a scholarship amount up to $15,000 annually. SJSU’s definition of low-income is that the enrolled student is Pell Grant eligible. Unmet need will be calculated by cost of attendance (COA) - Student Aid Index (SAI) - other grants and scholarships. 

When the Office of Financial Aid determines a student qualifies for the Geo4Society program, they will be directed to the application. The SJSU faculty mentors will review the students transcripts, statements of personal connection to geoscience and sustainability careers, letters of support from high school or 2YC instructors, and extracurricular and academic portfolio. Students who participated in ESUHSD field trips or the summer experience program will be given first consideration. Student high school core coursework GPAs above 2.5 (the minimum GPA for admission to SJSU based on the CSU eligibility index) will provide the initial criteria for academic ability. We will look for evidence from letters and personal statements that students will be able to work well in a group setting in order to form a cohesive cohort at SJSU. Our final selection criteria will be the strength of personal reflections and stated connections to geoscience. 

Academic eligibility to retain support from the Geo4Society program will be determined by 

1. Continued enrollment in the BS Geology or BS Earth System Science and 

2. Remaining in good standing at the university, defined as a GPA above 2.0.

Summary of Human Subject Research

If you choose to, the S-STEM faculty program managers will ask you to participate in anonymous surveys. The results of these surveys will be used to address the following research questions:

1. Which components (peer cohort, tutoring, or mentoring) of the S-STEM Geoscience for Society program have the most impact on students’ academic and long-term career achievements? 

2. Which components of the social-cognitive-career theory interventions (portfolios, experiential learning, career connections) contributed most to students’ self-efficacy (belief in their capabilities), ability to be self-reflective and evaluate future scenarios (outcome expectations), and assignment of meaning to life choices (personal goals). 

The results of this research will also be used by the SJSU faculty team to apply for government, foundation, and donor funding to expand the types of initiatives that have the greatest impact on student sense of belonging, student motivation, and long-terms student outcomes (graduation rates, GPAs, internship success, careers). 

All of these responses are summarized by an external evaluator for evaluation reports; no names are used in the reports provided to the research faculty so that there is a reasonable expectation for anonymity in your responses. Completion of surveys will not be graded and are not linked to assessment of students’ coursework. Students are not required to participate in any aspect of the S-STEM program activities in order to retain their financial aid scholarship.