The novel A Bridge to the Stars Scholarship (ABttS) Program is a creative high school-to-college pipeline designed to steadily increase the enrollment and success of historically underrepresented (ethnic and racial minorities, female, low-income, and first-generation college) majors in NASA-related STEM fields. This unique program offers extended engagement in astronomy, arguably the most accessible window to science, with a professional scientist and award-winning educator through a 3-tier STEM immersion program of innovative learning (I.), and mentoring (II.) â each tier (individual academic description) is provided in each Activity Data description below (as required).

Each tier of the ABttS pipeline by itself has the potential to broaden student aspirations for careers as technological innovators or STEM educators. Students who elect to transition through multiple tiers will substantially reinforce their successes with STEM activities, and significantly bolster their self-esteem necessary to personally manifest STEM aspirations. This scholarship program includes active partnerships with local high schools, community colleges, and education organizations to help identify potential students and screen their applications. Innovative strategies like these are needed for increasing the numbers of under-privileged Americans in NASA-related STEM careers.

Student participation in this project is through scholarships (F&S) for course tuition and supplies for ABttS Scholars in tier I. (and tuition for select ABttS Mentors), Higher Education (HE) internships for Bridge Mentors (tier II.), and HE internships for Bridge Development.