University of Indianapolis awarded highly competitive $2 million grant to support low-income STEM students
The University of Indianapolis has been awarded a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to expand access to engineering, math and data science degrees for students from low-income backgrounds. The highly competitive award comes through the NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program which supports students pursuing high-demand careers.
The grant establishes the Academic, Mentoring & Professional Development (AMP) Support Program designed to help academically talented students thrive in higher education and beyond. The first cohort of nine scholarships at UIndy will be awarded to incoming freshmen Greyhounds in fall 2026, providing students with up to $15,000 annually in financial assistance, along with academic, social and mentoring support.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this S-STEM grant from the National Science Foundation because it provides much-needed scholarships to talented students in critical career fields,” said Joan Martinez, assistant professor of engineering and the primary investigator for the grant. “This funding will also allow us to enhance our academic infrastructure with stronger math course support, mentoring programs and career readiness services—which will benefit countless students for years to come. Our goal is to ensure every promising UIndy student has the resources to thrive and succeed in STEM and this investment allows us to directly empower them to become successful leaders in their professional fields.”
The AMP program builds on the established Summer Bridge Program at UIndy which helps address the gaps in math preparedness often observed in incoming engineering students, including those who are otherwise strong academically. This aligns with the goal of the S-STEM program which is to enable academically talented, low-income students to pursue successful careers in promising STEM fields and contribute to the American innovation economy with their STEM knowledge.
“This grant builds on ongoing efforts to provide additional academic support for students at the University of Indianapolis in their initial math courses through the Math Tutoring Lab and other courses with embedded tutoring,” said Livia Hummel, associate professor and chair of the mathematical sciences department and co-primary investigator for the AMP grant. “I’m excited to be able to provide these opportunities to encourage students to build strong mathematical and problem-solving skills which are essential in a wide variety of STEM areas. Collaborating with the R.B. Annis School of Engineering provides a tremendous opportunity for future Greyhounds to enter into a new world of possibilities.”
Recruitment efforts will begin later this fall, focusing on Indianapolis-area high schools with targeted outreach, personalized invitations and on-campus events coordinated with the UIndy Office of Admissions. Students will be selected through a process that includes an application essay and interviews with program faculty—all designed to help current high school students see themselves thriving at UIndy and having a successful career in a STEM field.
