UW Bothell Engineering & Tech Scholars Program

Program overview

The UW Bothell Engineering & Tech Scholars (BETS) Program supports institutions in providing scholarships to academically talented, low-income students pursuing degrees in eligible engineering and technology disciplines. It also funds the implementation of evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities designed to enhance recruitment, retention, and graduation rates in engineering and technology fields. Learn more about the S-STEM (BETS at UW Bothell) program on the NSF website.

At UW Bothell, the BETS program will:

  • Provide scholarship support to selected engineering and technology majors with demonstrated financial need.
  • Offer enhanced support services: mentoring, peer cohorts, research/internship opportunities, community building, academic success workshops.
  • Conduct program assessment and disseminate findings to improve student success and share best practices.

Why it matters

The engineering and technology workforce is vital to our nation’s innovation and competitiveness. But many academically capable students from low-income backgrounds face barriers to persistence and graduation in STEM. The BETS program addresses this by combining financial support with proven student success strategies. At UW Bothell, our goal is to increase the number of E&T graduates, particularly from under-represented and financially challenged backgrounds, who go on to technical careers or graduate study.

Program components

  • Scholarship funding: Enables students to focus more on academics and E&T activities rather than working excessive hours.
  • Cohort & mentoring: Scholars will be part of a cohort that meets regularly (e.g., monthly workshops), paired with a faculty mentor.
  • Academic success & professional development: Workshops on topics like time management, designing a E&T career path, preparing for grad school, presenting research, networking.
  • Assessment & dissemination: Collect data on retention, graduation, post-graduation outcomes; share best practices across E&T programs.

Program objectives

  1. Increase the percentage of BETS students who are admitted into a STEM major by providing coaching, dedicated academic support, and re-designed pre-requisite courses
  2. Increase the percentage of students graduating in a E&T major by providing faculty mentoring, reflection and career courses that promote sense of belonging and sense of purpose;
  3. Understand which programing, academic support, and pedagogical approaches have the greatest impact for students, and
  4. Enhance faculty and staff ability to best support student populations while also learning about students’ navigation of our complex university systems and processes.

Eligibility & scholar benefits

Eligibility:

  • U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
  • Demonstrated financial need (e.g., Pell Grant eligible or equivalent).
  • Declared or intending to major in engineering and technology (E&T).
  • Minimum academic standing (e.g., GPA ≥ 2.5) and full-time enrollment.
  • Commitment to participate in the STARS program’s cohort activities and mentoring.

Scholarship benefits:

  • Up to $7,000 based on need.
  • Access to mentoring (faculty + peer), cohort seminars/workshops.
  • Academic support: tutoring, success workshops, transfer/grad school advising.
  • Community of BETS scholars forming a support network.

How to apply

Application process will be posted by March 1, 2026.

*Note: Scholars will be expected to enroll full-time and engage in program activities each year. 

Meet the team

  • Program Director: Cinnamon Hillyard (Associate Vice Chancellor of Office of Student Academic Success)
  • Co-Investigators:
    • Jennifer McCloud Mann (Dean of School of STEM)
    • Tad Ghirmani (Chair, Department of Engineering & Mathematics)
    • Yusuf Pisan (Teaching Professor, Department of Computing & Software Systems)

Contact us

For more information about the BETS Program at UW Bothell, email us at uwbbets@uw.edu.

In the news

STEM students shine in new STARS program

During the STARS program’s first year, students in this cohort community completed prerequisite courses and explored career possibilities.

Read more about this STARS cohort