Adelphi University has once again been honored for its commitment to supporting the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in the STEM fields.
Adelphi University’s innovative program, Ensuring STEM Student Success Through an Integrative Support Program, has received Insight Into Academia magazine’s 2025 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award. Insight Into Academia will feature Adelphi, alongside 57 other distinguished recipients, in its June 2025 issue.
“Ensuring STEM Student Success Through an Integrative Support Program continues Adelphi’s strong commitment to excellence in the STEM fields,” said Andrea Ward, PhD, Adelphi’s vice provost for research and libraries, who spearheaded the initiative and efforts to secure funding. “We are proud to receive this recognition and look forward to the impact this program will have on the future of STEM.”
Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Professionals
In response to the growing demand for STEM professionals, the program offers scholarships to high-achieving, Pell-eligible high school students, preparing them for careers in advanced fields of study. Funded by a $2.49 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant—the largest Adelphi has ever received—the program aims to attract new generations from underrepresented backgrounds into STEM disciplines.
Adelphi enrolls students a wide range of STEM majors, including artificial intelligence, biochemistry, biology, environmental science, information systems, mathematics, neuroscience and physics.
At the core of the initiative is a commitment to student success. Each participant receives personalized guidance from a trio of mentors, including faculty, alumni and peers. Students engage in a tech-focused First-Year Seminar and participate in biweekly meetings with support from Adelphi’s Office of Career and Professional Development and Center for Academic Support and Enrichment.
Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia, stated, “We know that STEM programs are not always recognized for their dedication to inclusion, equity and access. We are proud to honor these college, university and industry STEM programs as role models for other institutions of higher education.”
Real-World Experience in STEM Fields
Adelphi collaborates with local employers, including Brookhaven National Laboratory, Thorlabs and PhotoniX, to provide career development sessions. Students also benefit from two summers of paid, full-time research with Adelphi faculty and opportunities to attend scientific conferences.
The program welcomed its first cohort of 12 students in Fall 2023, followed by 13 in 2024, with plans to expand to 25 students in Fall 2025. Participants hail from Long Island communities such as Freeport and Westbury, New York, as well as from Texas.
Learn more about Adelphi’s Ensuring STEM Student Success Through an Integrative Support Program.