inSTEM is an auxiliary support network of and for undergraduate students from underrepresented communities who study STEM.

Students are leaving STEM majors at an alarmingly fast rate. Less than half of first-year students who enter in STEM majors will go on to graduate with a STEM degree, according to research published in The Journal of Science Education and Technology. Students from underrepresented communities are even less likely to graduate with their STEM degrees.

Undergraduate students in the program develop skills that will make them successful while in school and as they pursue post-graduation opportunities. The National Science & Technology Medals Foundation is committed to supporting STEM students from underrepresented communities, and inSTEM is the Foundation’s next step in furthering its mission to inspire the next generation of great scientists and technologists.

1. Build a community that prompts students to address the benefits and challenges of being a member of an underrepresented community in STEM

2. Offer professional development for undergraduates seeking experience relevant to their majors

3. Create opportunities for students to connect with mentors on campus and role models off campus to whom they can turn to for guidance.