E3-STEM Student Leaders
The Institute for Empowering Equitable Education in STEM will foster the success of a yearly cohort of students to thrive in STEM, gain extensive research experience, and become scientific leaders.
DEVELOP YOUR STEM EXPERTISE
Incoming undergraduate students are invited to become a member of our yearly cohort of E3-STEM Student Leaders (E3SL), an initiative that is designed to equip students with the skills and resources they need to pursue a career in a STEM field. With an emphasis on resilience, engagement, hard work, curiosity, independence, and empathy, our student leader program provides students with mentorship and professional development opportunities to thrive in their studies and become student-scientists and scholars.
E3-STEM Student Leaders will have access to curated resources to aid in their success during their academic journey. These resources include participation in a summer bridge program during the transition from high school to college, the opportunity to conduct mentored research, involvement in a peer mentoring program, first as a mentee and then as a mentor, among other initiatives. More information about these resources and activities can be found below. Student Leaders are eligible to receive financial incentives, in the form of funded work opportunities, to help offset the costs of pursing an undergraduate degree; there is no application fee or additional costs for students participating in the E3SL program.
With the help of E3-STEM staff, students who are part of an E3-STEM student cohort will develop an Individual Development Plan to help track their academic and career goals. With this plan, students will be given the opportunity to explore their STEM field of greatest interest, select a goal area to focus on, and work to achieve those goals within the areas of academic performance, time management, networking, job experience, among others.
Apply to Become an E3-STEM Student Leader
Interested in becoming a part of an E3-STEM student cohort? Applications for the Fall 2025 Student Cohort are now closed. Information about the Fall 2026 cohort application will be posted at a later date.
Applicants must be incoming first-time, first-year students; current Rutgers-Camden undergraduate students are not eligible to apply.
OUR MISSION TO CULTIVATE EXCELLENCE
In an effort to address the barriers that prevent students from pursing a STEM education, the Institute for Empowering Equitable Education in STEM partners with local K-12 schools to recruit incoming students to join our yearly E3-STEM Student Leader cohort. This cohort model is designed to empower students from historically excluded groups in STEM and foster an inclusive and welcoming environment through mentorship, research opportunities, and leadership development. Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply for to be a member of one of our E3-STEM Student Leader cohorts.
“It is time to stop simply seeking out the best students. It is time to educate our students to be the best.”
– Dr. Kwangwon Lee
Become a STEM Leader
By being a part of an E3-STEM student cohort, students will have numerous opportunities for academic, professional, and career development. These programs are designed to meet the specific needs of RUC’s diverse student population and prepare them for academic and career success. As part of a E3-STEM student cohort, students will have the chance to participate in the following activities:
Summer Bridge Program
E3-STEM student cohorts will take part in a five-week summer program designed to acclimate students to the college classroom environment and expectations. Programming involves building math skills, experiential learning opportunities, and research experience initiatives.
Mentored Research
Throughout their four academic years, students will be encouraged to pursue the opportunity to shadow or conduct research in faculty research labs. This process may involve laboratory observation and shadowing, developing a research project, and engaging in a productive research experience.
Funded Work Opportunities
Student Leaders will have opportunities for funded work experiences, starting their freshmen year. These work opportunities are designed to align with student career goals in various settings of interest, including academia, government, and/or industry.
Peer Mentors & Study Groups
Senior STEM students will be paired with incoming freshmen cohort members to promote peer-to-peer mentoring. The institute will also encourage cohort members to become leaders in student study groups, promoting leadership and improved academic success.
Academic Mentorship
E3-STEM Student Leaders will work to facilitate faculty and/or professional mentorship opportunities for students. These mentors will help students to improve their academic and professional performance and refine their goal-setting behaviors.
Individualized Goal Setting
Student Leaders will utilize the UPlan tool, a platform designed to help students create and track the progress of short-term and long-term goals. This platform allows students to define their own meaning of success and tailor their academic journey to fit this
APPLY TODAY
Interested in becoming a member of one of student leader cohorts? Learn more about the requirements for becoming a student leader and completing your application below and on this information page.
Applications for the Fall 2025 Student Cohort are now closed. Information about the Fall 2026 cohort application will be posted at a later date.
Qualifications/ Requirements
- Students from all backgrounds are invited to apply. Applicants are not reviewed based on their grades/academic performance but rather their potential and desire to achieve STEM excellence.
- Students must be an incoming first-time, first-year undergraduate student from the Camden area
- First-time, first-year students are students who have no postsecondary education experience and are attending a postsecondary institution at the undergraduate level for the first time
- Students who are already enrolled at Rutgers University-Camden are not eligible to apply
- Students must be considering college and/or have already applied to Rutgers University-Camden
- Students must be seeking enrollment in an undergraduate STEM program
Application Materials
- Students must submit an essay about their interests in STEM
- Students must submit a piece of academic work that they are proud of
- Students will also be asked about their academic experiences, extracurricular activities, and STEM experiences that they have had and/or wish they could have had
Please note that students interested in applying to be an E3-STEM Student Leader are also welcome to apply to other assistance program at Rutgers-Camden, such as EOF and TRiO. These programs have their own unique eligibility requirements and students should refer to those program pages with questions.