Welcome to California State University STEM Pathways Alliance (SPA) at Fresno State

To be eligible to participate in the CSU STEM Pathways Alliance, students must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Be enrolled at a participating CSU campus in an undergraduate major in a STEM discipline. Be an individual interested in pursuing graduate studies or join the workforce in a STEM field that is outside the health profession degrees or careers. 
• Be an undergraduate student attending Fresno State and be in a STEM major. STEM targeted majors at Fresno State include: agricultural sciences (animal science or plant science), biology/life sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science/geosciences, mathematics, and physics.
• PRE-HEALTH (PREMED, PREPHARM, ETC.) STUDENTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR CSU-LSAMP

Initiated in 1994, with support from the National Science Foundation, the California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP) Program is a comprehensive statewide project dedicated to increasing the number of students who have faced or faces social, educational or economic barriers graduating from campuses of the California State University with baccalaureate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

 The CSU-LSAMP Alliance, with NSF support, was initiated among 16 campuses and has gradually expanded to include all 23 full-service comprehensive universities in the CSU. 

To broaden participation of LSAMP students in graduate study, CSU-LSAMP has also established Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) Fellowship opportunities.

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program is one of a sequence of NSF programs which seek to build productive capacity and output within institutions with significant enrollments of individuals who have faced or faces social, educational or economic barriers to careers within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professionals.

The program goals are accomplished through the formation of alliances. Phase I awards placed emphasis on aggregate baccalaureate production. Phase II awards augmented the Phase I emphasis with attention to individual student retention and progression to baccalaureate degrees. Phase III awards augmented the Phase I and Phase II emphases with attention to aggregate student progression to graduate school entry. Senior level awards augment the Phase I, Phase II, phase III. Senior level will also provide opportunities for international research and conferences in addition to many other support activities for students.

Success of the LSAMP program has been measured by its ability to cause a significant increase in the number of students, particularly those who have faced or faces social, educational or economic barriers, who graduate with baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields.

• Objective 1- Academic Integration: Support students at critical transition points in their STEM careers (e.g. entering as freshmen, transferring from community college, declaring a major in a STEM discipline) and in “gatekeeper” courses in STEM with the goal of improving student performance and persistence in STEM.
• Objective 2 - Professionalization: Provide opportunities for students to engage in research projects, internships, international activities, conferences, and graduate school preparation activities with the goal of increasing the number of students entering graduate programs and professional careers in STEM.
• Objective 3 - Social Integration: On-going exposure to experiences and opportunities that are important for socialization into science and activities that build a sense of community within STEM disciplines.

SPA Program Activities include but not limited to the following:

• SPA Student Meetings
• Orientation for new SPA StudentsSummer and Academic Year Research Training Program
• Information regarding internship opportunities
• International Activities
• Peer Mentoring
• Presentation/Publication of Research
• Travel Funds to Present/Attend Conferences
• Graduate School Preparation Activities
• SPA Academic and Career Advisement Communication
• CSU-SPA Statewide Recognition - PROUD Scholars

• Free help in science, engineering and mathematics courses – SPA provides group facilitators (advanced students who have received grades of A or B in courses they are facilitating)
• Travel funds, stipends & reimbursement of other costs (i.e., travel to present or attend local, regional and national conferences, graduation application fees; some tests; some texts; graduate school application fees) – amount of stipends and funding is dependent on level of participation, specific program activity, and academic performance
• Eligibility to participate in the SPA Bridge to Doctorate Program - Two year graduate fellowship that covers the cost of tuition and fees, and provides funds for a stipend, supplies and travel.