The STEM Scholar Intern Matching Fund: Strengthening Your Company While Strengthening the Commonwealth

Dear Massachusetts Business Leader:

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workforce is a key element of the short- and long-term economic success of the Commonwealth, but the future of this workforce is by no means assured. I hope that you will join the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) in supporting the STEM Scholar Intern Program as one important way to develop the future STEM employees on which so much depends.

The goal of the BHE Scholar Intern Program is to encourage Massachusetts college students in STEM majors to stay in Massachusetts and build their careers. The BHE received $2.5 million in funds from the Governor and the Legislature to establish a Scholarship Intern Matching Fund Program to work toward this goal. The funds will be used to match scholarships and internships to retain students in these difficult STEM fields, to expedite the achievement of a degree and to reduce the cost of their education. This is a focused way to build the STEM workforce that will benefit all of us.

We are searching for companies that will work with us on this program. Your company can help by offering a paid internship for a student that you would help to select. You may also choose to contribute scholarship funds and thereby increase the pool of awards that could be matched. The Board of Higher Education will provide a match for scholarships and internships up to $5,000 per student for three years. We are stressing internships because we believe in the educational value and workforce attachment potential of these experiences.

Your contribution would assist with recruitment of college graduates and the early evaluation of future workers. It would also bring fresh enthusiasm to the organization. I encourage you to work with me to support this strategic investment for your company, Massachusetts students, and the economy of the Commonwealth. To learn more about the program or about how to make a donation and the tax deductions available, please contact Nicole Sotir, STEM Scholar Intern Program Coordinator, at nsotir@bhe.mass.edu or at 617-994-6955.

Sincerely,

Patricia F. Plummer
Chancellor

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