Over $352,000 has been granted to Fresno State for scholarships to assist low-income students pursuing a master’s degree in mathematics, starting fall 2020.

The funds allocated to Fresno State came from a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to select CSU campuses including Fresno State, Cal Poly-Pomona and San Francisco State. The scholarship program, Bolstering the Advancement of Masters in Mathematics (BAMM), will provide 10 students with $10,000 per year for two years. The program is set to last five years and projected to help a total of 50 students.­

Oscar Vega, a Fresno State mathematics professor and one of the investigators on the project, said, “Besides the money, the grant will prepare these students so they survive the transition to a Ph.D. program, and it will also create benchmarks for students in the future who want to follow the path of our scholars.”

The aim of the program is centered around retaining students in the Fresno State’s mathematics department who plan to pursue a doctorate. in mathematical sciences, including mathematics education. The program will prioritize students who need financial assistance and who have demonstrated academic prowess.­

The hope is that the scholarships will allow low-income students to dedicate their time to their academic pursuits rather than working at another job. The other hope is that students will be provided with mentorship to successfully demonstrate a furthering of academic capability that will adequately prepare them for the doctorate program.­

The program investigators, like Vega, will research how helpful academic interventions were in assisting the students along their educational path. The goal is to provide students with a strong educational foundation that will allow them to build on top of their success.­

Cal Poly-Pomona was granted $279,000 and San Francisco got $368,000.