UTM STEM Scholars Program

Persisting structural and systemic barriers continue to limit access to STEM education among historically underrepresented populations. A variety of factors, including a lack of diverse faculty role models, the absence of community, and limited available resources hinder the progress of undergraduate students and inhibit their ability to make a successful transition to graduate school. The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) STEM Scholars Program: A Pathway for Tomorrow's Leaders aims to increase diversity among future leaders in the following STEM disciplines: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics, by actively working to address and mitigate these barriers. Its mission is to identify high-achieving students from underrepresented populations and mentor them along the pathway from high school to graduate school. 

In acknowledgment of the persisting barriers to inclusion that impact Black students in STEM, the pilot of the UTM STEM Scholars Program provides incoming Black students with a comprehensive support system to promote academic success in STEM disciplines throughout their undergraduate careers at UTM. Available through a competitive application process, students admitted to the UTM STEM Scholars Program are offered a full-tuition scholarship (plus fees), renewable for four years of undergraduate study; are enrolled in a fully funded, 7-week residential Summer Bridge program; receive special tutoring assistance in first-year science courses; have access to academic and personal mentorship throughout their undergraduate career at UTM; and are eligible for paid research opportunities each summer. By combining academic and non-academic supports from across campus, the UTM STEM Scholars Program will build a sense of belonging and encourage students to collaborate with, support, and inspire one another. 

More than a transition program, the goal of the UTM STEM Scholars Program is to provide ongoing academic supports that will allow UTM to better retain students from underrepresented communities in STEM. In addition to building a community of Black undergraduate scientists, the program promotes the development of science identity and science efficacy through experiential learning, providing students with paid opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research projects under the guidance of faculty mentors. This unique program structure ensures that students will gain practical knowledge, develop problem-solving abilities, and deepen their understanding of scientific methodologies, not only enhancing their academic profiles but increasing their competitiveness for graduate education and career opportunities.

The UTM STEM Scholars Program is modeled after and developed in consultation with the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), a landmark access program first offered in 1989 through which UMBC has established itself as the top producer of Black graduates who go on to earn a STEM Ph.D. in the US. The Meyerhoff model has been successfully replicated at other top 50 universities in the US. The UTM STEM Scholars Program was proposed by Professor Emerita Judith Poe, who served as Special Advisor to the Dean on Equity-Deserving Groups in STEM from 2021-23. Professor Poe was inspired to adapt the Meyerhoff Scholars Program following UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski, III's visit to UTM in 2022.

Launched in 2023-24 as a pilot program specifically targeting incoming Black students, the UTM STEM Scholars Program is the first access program based on the Meyerhoff model to be introduced at a post-secondary institution in Canada, replicating its supportive community and nurturing student academic success and professional growth. While the first year of the pilot centered on the Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences, the UTM STEM Scholars Program is expanding in 2024-25 to include academic disciplines in the Departments of Biology and Mathematical & Computational Sciences, including Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics.

The UTM STEM Scholars Program will be supported in its mission by Professor Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, Special Advisor to the Dean on Equity-Deserving Groups in 2023-24. Professor Owusu-Bempah is renowned for his work on the intersections of race, crime, and criminal justice, in addition to being a well-known public speaker and consultant. Professor Owusu-Bempah's will help guide the implementation of the program for the upcoming year, ensuring that participating faculty and staff have the expertise and resources to deliver a transformative academic experience for current and incoming UTM STEM Scholars.

The UTM STEM Scholars Program is available by application to incoming high school students to UTM who meet the following general and disciplinary requirements.

Student Eligibility Requirements

• Successful admission to UTM in one of the three eligible admission categories
• Commitment to follow an undergraduate program in the sciences
• Intention to pursue a graduate degree
• Self-identification as Black
• Canadian citizen or landed immigrant (permanent resident)

Minimum Requirements for Entry to the Program, by Admission Category
1. Chemical & Physical Sciences

• Any 3 of the following Grade 12 courses: Advanced Functions, Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics, where 1 of the 3 courses is Grade 12 Chemistry or Grade 12 Physics. A minimum mark of 85% is required in each course.

2. Life Sciences

• Grade 12 Biology and any 2 of the following Grade 12 courses: Advanced Functions, Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics. A minimum mark of 85% is required in each course.

3. Computer Science, Mathematics & Statistics

• Grade 12 Advanced Functions, Grade 12 Calculus, and one other 4U stream course. A minimum mark of 85% is required in each course.

While these courses represent the minimum entry requirements, please be advised that the UTM STEM Scholars Program is a competitive academic scholarship and, as such, the Selection Committee may wish to draw on each student's complete high school transcript, as included in their application to UTM, in order to assess their overall academic performance. The Selection Committee will also take into consideration any curricular, extracurricular, or peer mentorship activities that illustrate commitment to a long-term academic and/or professional career in STEM.

Grade 12 students can apply for the program by submitting an application to UTM through OUAC and completing the Microsoft Form linked below. Please note that this application form is intended for high school students planning to begin their undergraduate studies at UTM in September 2024. Selected applicants will participate in Summer Bridge in July-August 2024, prior to the start of the academic year.

Applications for the UTM STEM Scholars Program for 2024-25 will close on Friday, March 29, 2024, at 11:59pm.

Thank you for your interest in the UTM STEM Scholars Program for 2024-25. Please be advised that applications are now closed. All applicants will be notified with a decision on their application in the coming months.

All applicants must identify an educational professional (e.g., science teacher, librarian, guidance counsellor, etc.), who will serve as their referee and submit a letter of reference in support of their consideration to the UTM STEM Scholars Program. Applicants are asked to provide their referee's contact information in the final section of the application form. Following submission, UTM staff will reach out to referees over e-mail to request the letter of reference.

The UTM STEM Scholars Program aims to foster a strong sense of community by including activities that promote social interaction, participation in the arts, extracurricular activities, community service, and development of cultural capital, leveraging UTM’s well-developed student support services and campus resources. Moreover, the inclusion of family members within the fabric of the program reflects our hope that they will continue to support the students throughout their academic journeys.

To this end, the program begins with a Family Orientation event, which allows UTM to build university-community relationships while emphasizing the supportive roles expected of family members. Held in June, this event provides incoming UTM STEM Scholars with an opportunity to meet UTM faculty, program staff, and their peers. It also provides a forum for family members to experience the campus, ask questions about the UTM STEM Scholars Program and Summer Bridge, and learn how to best support students throughout their undergraduate studies.

Summer Bridge is a mandatory 7-week residency program held on campus in collaboration with a wide range of academic units and non-academic campus partners. Between July and August, students admitted to the UTM STEM Scholars Program will live and study together on campus, completing 1.0 university credits while also participating in STEM-related workshops, lab tours, mentorship, and recreational activities. In addition to learning the ins-and-outs of the UTM campus where they will spend the next four years, students have the opportunity to meet faculty and visit research labs across the U of T tri-campus and its extended research network.

While the schedule and programming for Summer Bridge will vary from year to year, participating students can expect to spend five days per week engaged in programming alongside their peers. Each day begins with a cohort breakfast at 8:00am and closes with a cohort meeting that ends at 8:00pm. Some of the components offered in Summer Bridge 2023 included:

• ISP130H5S Numeracy for University and Beyond;
• EDS291H5S Black Education;
• Tours of research labs at the Mississauga, St. George, and Scarborough campuses;
• STEM research talks by faculty and graduate students;
• Workshops and community activities organized by the Centre for Student Engagement, Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre, and UTM Library;
• Ongoing faculty and peer mentorship;
• Science networking events; and
• Recreational excursions through Student Housing & Residence Life.

Residence, meals, and travel costs associated with off-campus activities are covered by the UTM STEM Scholars Program. Please note that the UTM STEM Scholars Program only covers residence and meal plans for the 7 weeks of Summer Bridge. Students who wish to live in residence during their first year and beyond must apply through Student Housing and Residence Life and pay the relevant fees.