SW Ohio Scholars Program
The Southwest Ohio Scholars Program (SOSP) is part of the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) initiative. This program is specifically designed to support and empower undergraduate students who show strong potential in pursuing Computer Science (CS) degrees at the University of Cincinnati.
Over a five-year period, the program will provide scholarships to 36 students across multiple cohorts.
Program Overview
- Financial Scholarships: SOSP provides financial assistance to help ease the burden of tuition and related costs, making higher education more accessible.
- Academic Support: Scholars receive academic guidance and resources to enhance their learning experience and academic success.
- Industry Experience: Through the university’s renowned co-op program, students gain valuable hands-on experience in real-world industry settings.
Program Goals
The primary aim of the SOSP is to increase retention and graduation rates among its scholars. By offering comprehensive support, the program helps students complete their degrees and successfully enter the workforce.
By fostering a culture of belonging and involving students’ families in their educational journey, the SOSP hopes to develop the next generation of talented computer scientists to meet the growing demand for technology professionals in Ohio.
Contact Us
Justin Zhan,
Fred A. & Juliet Esselborn Geier Chair Professor and Department Head
Daniel Dong,
Project Coordinator
Dr. Justin Zhan
Principal Investigator (PI), Head of Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS)
justin.zhan@uc.edu
Dr. Youn Seon Lim
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), Assistant Professor of Psychometrics/Educational Measurements and Statistics, College of Education, Criminal Justice & Human Services (CECH)
limyo@ucmail.uc.edu
Dr. Whitney Gaskins
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI), Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor, Office of Professional Development and Community Impact
gaskinwb@ucmail.uc.edu
Sonya Turner
Associate Director of the UC Evaluation Services Center (ESC) at CECH
turnes9@ucmail.uc.edu
Dr. Michelle Encalada
Research Associate, ESC at CECH
encaladma@ucmail.uc.edu
Emily Rawers
Director, Recruitment & Admissions, CEAS
verkamek@ucmail.uc.edu
Becky Barkema
Program Manager, CEAS
barkemr@ucmail.uc.edu
Daniel Dong
S-STEM Project Coordinator, CEAS
dongdp@mail.uc.edu
Nick Burkhart
Data Collection for S-Stem Project, CECH
burkhanp@ucmail.uc.edu
Orientation Sessions
- 1.1 Welcome & Orientation Session
Task Owner: Dr. Justin Zhan
Event Date: 10/25/2024 - 1.2 Money Management Workshop
Task Owner: Daniel Dong - 1.3 Zero to Career Clarity
Task Owner: Daniel Dong
Skill Set Development
- 2.1 Aligning Your Skills with Your Goals
Task Owner: Daniel Dong - 2.2 Interview Preparation
- Coding - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- System Design - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- Behavioral - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- 2.3 Tech Stack Introduction
- Backend - Database - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- Backend - Server - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- Backend - Middleware - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- Frontend - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- AI Frameworks & Algorithms - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- Containerization - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- Distributed Computing - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- Cloud Services - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
- System Architecture - Task Owner: Daniel Dong
Co-op
- 3.1 Co-op 1 to Co-op 5
Task Owner: Dr. Justin Zhan - 3.2 Industry-sponsored Senior Design Project
Task Owner: Dr. Justin Zhan - 3.3 Student Feedback for Better CS Co-op and S-STEM Education
Task Owner: Daniel Dong - 3.4 Research Experience
Task Owner: Dr. Justin Zhan
Academic Success
- 4.1 Milestones Monitoring and Mentoring
Task Owner: Dr. Justin Zhan - 4.2 Summer Bridge
Task Owner: Dr. Whitney Gaskins - 4.3 CS Forums
Task Owner: Dr. Justin Zhan - 4.4 Tutoring
Task Owner: Cat Luong