About

The STEM Transformation and Advancing Retention (STAR) program creates equitable pathways to graduate education for students underrepresented in the geosciences and related disciplines. The initiative is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and led by Rutgers-Newark in collaboration with Rutgers-New Brunswick.

Over 8-weeks in the summer, undergraduate and graduate STARs from both campuses engage in a near-peer mentoring and workforce development curriculum. Undergraduate-graduate STAR mentoring teams demystify the graduate school experience and share strategies for persistence, resilience and academic success. Panels, workshops and field trips with scientific professionals, who also identify with underrepresented groups, strengthen STAR networks and expose them to career pathways and opportunities.