Tech Scholars
STEM Scholarship Application
The contents for this application must be received by April 1, 2017 and returned to the
Admissions Office, One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701 – DIF #119, Attention: Tech
Scholars Application
Please complete the information below:
Student Name
Penn College ID#
Address
Phone
Email
Program Major
Please use the checklist below to make sure all required application materials have been
completed and/or included with your application. Details about these materials and additional
scholarship criteria are included on the next page.
 Cover Letter
 Letter of Recommendation
 One-page Essay
 College Transcript
 High School Transcript
 Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completed and on-file with the Penn College Financial Aid Office
An Affiliate of The Pennsylvania State University
An Equal Opportunity College
Requirements for the Tech Scholars Scholarship
The Scholarship program is for transfer students starting their Bachelor of Science degree in fall 2017
within the School of Industrial, Computing and Engineering Technologies (ICET).
To be eligible for this grant, you must:
 be a citizen or national of the United States, alien admitted as refugee, or alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence;
 have a completed Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on-file with the Penn
College Financial Aid Office at the time of selection by the Committee;
 be transferring in as a junior and enrolled full-time (15-credit hour per semester) in an ICET
academic program;
 provide a letter of recommendation from someone in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or
Mathematics (STEM) discipline (this could be a professor, employer or other reference who is
involved with a STEM-related field);
 submit a one-page essay describing your career interests and how the Tech Scholars program will
help you achieve your goals;
 submit a cover letter;
 satisfactorily complete an interview with a selection committee member;
 have a strong college academic record;
 submit high school transcript; and
 submit official college transcript; final scholarship selection is contingent upon the submission
of an official transcript with a clear indication of associate degree completion.
Information about the Tech Scholars Scholarship
Scholarship awards will be evaluated each year. The amount received each year may be adjusted based on
the unmet financial needs of the cohort of students selected for the grant, up to a maximum of $10,000.
Each scholarship can be renewed for a maximum of two years as long as the recipient continues to meet the
following eligibility criteria:
1. have documented financial need by completing a Federal FAFSA application each year;
2. remain enrolled as a full-time student in an Industrial, Computing, and Engineering Technology
(ICET) academic program and carry a 15-credit hour per semester course load;
3. earn and maintain both a cumulative and major GPA of 3.0 or better at Penn College;
4. fully participate in a junior-year career education class;
5. attend all scheduled faculty and student mentoring meetings and recommended tutoring sessions;
and
6. agree to respond to surveys following graduation.
Other important information:
 Scholarship recipients who fail to maintain academic eligibility (i.e. earning a 3.0 or better each
semester) will have a probationary period for one subsequent semester, but they must regain
eligibility to continue the scholarship after the probationary period.
 Scholarship recipients who change their major to a non-ICET program will forfeit the
scholarship, and the remaining funds will be awarded to other qualified but unfunded S-STEM
applicants.
 Progress and continuing eligibility will be reviewed each semester by the Selection Committee as
part of the review/renewal process, as well as during monthly meetings with the scholarship
recipient and faculty mentor.
Benefits Tech Scholar award recipients will receive:
Faculty mentors – Each S-STEM scholar will be assigned a faculty mentor from their department. The
scholars and mentors will meet monthly as needed to monitor student progress and assist with any
adjustments or academic difficulties.
Tutoring and Student Support Structures –Faculty mentors will monitor student progress throughout the
semester and refer struggling scholars to tutoring services. Penn College offers a strong support system
for students at every stage of their college career. The Academic Success Center provides free tutoring in
mathematics, English, writing, and other technical subjects within its Tutoring Center. If help is
unavailable through the Tutoring Center, faculty mentors will arrange for specific course tutoring and
small study groups within the department.
Junior year career workshop – This is a one-semester non-credit workshop that will be required for all SSTEM juniors. Students will work on writing resumes and will practice their interviewing skills, create
career portfolios, and receive assistance in job search preparation. The workshop will include special
sessions or luncheons during career fairs with alumni in ICET fields. A key element of the career workshop
is to teach students skills that are increasingly valued by employers. These skills include interdisciplinary
teamwork, oral and written communications, critical thinking, problem solving, and specific knowledge
about different industries. The workshop will also include guest speakers and field trips to industry sites.
Learning communities – Penn College will create S-STEM learning communities to encourage the SSTEM scholars to participate in a cohort support system. The learning communities will be supported for
both residential and nonresidential students. Space will be made available for S-STEM study groups and
social activities.
“This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-1355839.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.”