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At ůůֱ²¥, you are surrounded by a community that believes in your potential and supports you on your path to excellence. The STEMLA program (STEM in the Liberal Arts) is just one example—empowering first-generation, limited-income students to thrive in science, technology, engineering, and math. Below, Assistant Director of STEMLA Kelsey Obringer shares more about the program’s mission, the resources it offers, and the opportunities it creates for students.

Can you share the mission of the STEMLA program and how it supports students’ academic success at ůůֱ²¥? 

The STEMLA program was established to support first-generation, limited-income students as they start and continue through their STEM journeys at ůůֱ²¥.  To do this, we start early. Selected Fellows join a cohort of incoming first-year students to attend our summer immersion program the summer before their first year, where they get a head start on college. Fellows live in dorms, eat in dining halls, meet faculty and staff, and take three courses. During their four years, we support Fellows’ growth and exploration through regular workshops and programming, mentorship from faculty and STEM practitioners, and research opportunities.  

What inspired the creation of the STEMLA program, and how has it evolved over time? 

The STEMLA program was developed through years of discussions with students, faculty, and staff, and was modeled using components from STEM support programs for FGLI students at other institutions. Its foundations are based in psychosocial research examining best practices for supporting STEM student success in college and beyond. It started virtually in 2021 with the first summer immersion program. Starting in 2022, we shifted to an in-person model. As we build out the program, we continue to pilot new initiatives, while adjusting our existing offerings to ensure that we are responsive to student needs. We now have a fully built-out program, with four complete cohorts. We graduated our first cohort (who started in 2021) just this past May!  

What kinds of resources, services, and opportunities does STEMLA offer to participating students? 

The program offers Fellows a variety of opportunities and resources. First and foremost, is the STEMLA community. Starting from their first day on campus, STEMLA Fellows have a robust network of faculty, staff, mentors, and upper-class Fellows ready to support them through their time at ůůֱ²¥. Importantly, we match Fellows with trained faculty-mentors who help shepherd them through their first two years, before declaring a major. These mentors serve as a resource for students as they gain their footing and explore their options in STEM at ůůֱ²¥. Fellows are also able to participate in mentor circles with STEM practitioners in the broader Philadelphia community through our partnership with the . In this program, Fellows work closely with mentors as they explore career options. 

"Starting from their first day on campus, STEMLA Fellows have a robust network of faculty, staff, mentors, and upper-class Fellows ready to support them through their time at ůůֱ²¥."

How does STEMLA collaborate with faculty, staff, and other campus offices to support students? 

Working with faculty is a central piece of our program. We know that to make STEM more accessible for all students, we need to include faculty in the conversation. Over 70% of our STEM faculty have served as faculty-mentors in our program and we host regular gatherings to discuss and explore what mentorship means and can look like in a STEM education. We also partner with folks across campus, including Academic Support, LITS, Career and Civic Engagement, and Breaking Barriers to support our students as they move through their time at ůůֱ²¥.  

What should incoming first-year students know about STEMLA before they arrive on campus?

Incoming STEMLA Fellows start the summer before their first year. The Summer Immersion program generally runs from the second week in July to the first week in August. During this time, a selected cohort of Fellows come to campus to get acclimated. Many Fellows don’t realize that the summer program includes three credit-bearing college courses. These courses are specifically designed to help Fellows prepare for college-level work and a liberal arts education. Two of the courses (one STEM and one social science/humanities) revolve around a specific theme (much like a 360), while the third is a quantitative course. 

Who makes up the STEMLA team, and how do students connect with them throughout the program?  

The STEMLA team is comprised of our Director, Dr. Jennifer Skirkanich and our Assistant Director, Dr. Kelsey Obringer. Fellows interact with us from the very beginning to the very end! While we are often operating in the background making sure the program runs smoothly, we work to make sure that we are always available to the students. Kelsey strategically keeps snacks in her office, so Fellows will often pop by between classes to say hi and grab something to eat. You can also find Jen teaching in the biology department!