Community is the central focus of the program. You will forge strong connections with other Scholars and STEM students, faculty, and staff. 

• The STEM Residential Learning Community provides students with similar interests a space where they can live and learn together outside of the classroom. Upperclass STEM peers serve as in-house mentors and RAs to support you in your transition to college and in navigating your major.
• The first-year STEM seminar provides an intimate classroom setting in which you will get to know other scholars and STEM peers as you prepare for success at IC and beyond.
• Research participation during the semester and the summer promotes strong and lasting relationships with your faculty mentor and research peers.
• Annual “STEM Challenges” bring students from all STEM disciplines together to solve complex and relevant problems through friendly competition.
• Social events, including a Welcome Picnic, provide opportunities to get to know peers, staff, and faculty in informal settings. 

The program faculty and staff are committed to your academic success.

• Peer Success Coaches help you navigate the transition to college and develop plans for your long-term success.

• Tutoring by peers and faculty, focused on the first two years of required coursework, provides you with a solid foundation of disciplinary knowledge.

• A first-year STEM seminar course brings all S-STEM scholars together to work on skills necessary for success in your major and beyond Ithaca College. Topics include:

  • How to prepare homework and study for exams in your major to maximize your academic performance
  • How to get involved in research in your department
  • What extra-curricular activities are available to support your interests and help you develop marketable skills, such as leadership and teamwork

• Faculty Mentors guide your academic and professional growth and alert you to opportunities such as summer research, internships, and career exploration.

Programming includes supports for professional growth and career exploration.

• You will develop professional skills and enhance the intangibles that employers seek: communication, problem solving, teamwork, personal learning, motivation, and initiative.

• Ongoing career workshops provide you with the preparation and skills for entering the workplace. Selected topics include:

  • Identifying available career paths related to your discipline

  • Preparing a résumé and cover letter

  • Interviewing for a job

• Visits to area employers give you an inside look into potential internships opportunities and future careers

• Attendance at a professional disciplinary conference of your choosing provides networking and other career development opportunities

• Research opportunities throughout the academic year, as well as paid summer research positions, allow you to deepen your understanding of your academic field.