Purchase College Awarded Nearly $2M from USNSF

July 31, 2025
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) grant will provide scholarships and support to 34 STEM students.

The Grant Supports “Finding Common Ground: Support and Preparation of Students for Interdisciplinary STEM Careers”
Congratulations to Joseph Skrivanek, PhD, Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mark Jonas, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology, and Athar Abdul-Quader, PhD, Associate Professor of Mathematics/Computer Science, who together received a major grant of $1,998,661 from the National Science Foundation to train and support 34 undergraduates in the disciplines of biochemistry, biology, chemistry, and mathematics/computer science.

Funded through the NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (S-STEM), which enables academically talented, low-income students to pursue successful careers in promising STEM fields, Finding Common Ground will provide nine four-year students and 25 two-year transfer students from underrepresented minority groups with significant scholarships, faculty and peer mentoring, academic support, and social support including the opportunity to build a strong community among the cohort.

“Purchase College is in a unique position to accomplish one of the major goals of the grant; to increase the transfer and graduation rates of community college students who transfer to Purchase and finish their four-year degree in STEM disciplines,” says Professor Skrivanek.

“Over the last 25 years, Purchase has formed a unique partnership with seven community colleges. This grant will help expand that partnership to include the Appalachian SUNY community colleges.”

In addition to receiving faculty and peer mentoring, S-STEM Scholars will participate in a two-week pre-semester math skills workshop for incoming students needing additional math training. A biweekly non-credit S-STEM Community Seminar will serve as the hub for academic and social support, to build commonalities among incoming and continuing, and four-year and transfer students, and among faculty and peer mentors.

S-STEM Scholars will benefit from field trips to local industries, visits from working professionals, career-preparation workshops, and informal community-building activities. Seminar meetings will also provide mutual peer support for developing and completing the senior research project required of all Purchase students for graduation.

“In addition to scholarship money, this grant will support our students at every level of their college experience,” says Professor Abdul-Quader.

“Pre-semester mathematics tutoring will give our students a head start on getting ready for college-level mathematics. There will be ample opportunities for community building and mentorship / tutoring throughout the academic year. Career-focused programming, like field trips and visits from local industry leaders, will provide opportunities for students to learn how the skills they are learning at Purchase will prepare them for opportunities after college. The opportunities Purchase students will be receiving through this grant are really exciting!”

“Support from this grant will help our students persist and succeed in STEM,” says Professor Jonas.

“Through scholarships, mentoring, community-building, and career-focused programming, we aim to increase graduation rates and ensure that our students are ready to thrive in a competitive job market.

“Purchase College is situated in one of the nation’s leading biotechnology hubs, giving our students direct access to real-world experiences and potential pathways into STEM careers.”

Congressman George Latimer adds, “This award shows the importance of investing in research at our public universities, and the impact those investments are making for young people right here in our community.”

“Science students at Purchase enjoy small class sizes and receive close mentorship from extraordinary faculty. These new scholarships for STEM students will enable more students to thrive and flourish at Purchase and beyond.”

—Dr. Meagan Curtis, Director of the School of Natural and Social Sciences

Purchase College Awarded Nearly $2M from USNSF