K/STEM Scholarship Fund

An annual scholarship established by Rusty Shepard (’86). The K/STEM Scholarship Fund creates a pipeline for hardworking Kempsville High School students to the University, supporting and fostering their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and to ultimately develop them into successful and accomplished professionals in STEM related careers.

This scholarship will provide in-state tuition and fees to students who have graduated from Kempsville High School (Virginia Beach). The funding is intended to provide for 11, four-year renewable scholarships. This structure will allow for eleven students to be funded over a seven-year period. It is intended that two freshmen be selected to receive the K/Stem Scholarship for the academic year 2020/2021 and three freshmen will be selected in each of the following three academic years.

To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria: Students must have attended three years of high school at Kempsville High School in Virginia Beach and taken math and science courses each of those three years. Students must be on track to graduate from high school with an unweighted GPA of 3.00. It is preferred that interested students apply to the University through Early Action. While a student at the University, they must maintain a GPA of 3.00 in order to be eligible for scholarship renewal. They must major in one of the following: Biotechnology, Computer Science, Engineering, Intelligence Analysis, ISAT, Geographic Science, Biology, Chemistry, Biophysical Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, Geology, Math, Statistics, Economics, Quantitative Finance, Computer Information Systems, or COE Stem major, as well as any future STEM majors. A recommendation letter from a Kempsville High School teacher is required.

In years where a student graduating from Kempsville High School does not qualify, a student from the Virginia Beach area who meets the criteria may be considered. In the event that a K/STEM Scholar becomes ineligible for scholarship renewal, another Kempsville High School student who is a student at the University and meets the criteria could fulfill the remaining scholarship period.

K/Stem Scholarship awards will be administered by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. In the event that there are multiple qualified students, the greatest financial need will be the deciding factor. Beyond these criteria, the selection of scholarship recipients will follow the University’s guidelines for the awarding of scholarships.