PASS CS Scholars Mini-Bridge Program

The Path to Achieving Success and Sense of Belonging in Computer Science (PASS CS) is an NSF S-STEM scholarship awarded to incoming Pell-eligible students who will study Computer Science. The inaugural cohort of 10 students will be on campus for the PASS CS Mini-Bridge program from August 7th – 10th. 

The pilot Mini-Bridge program is intended to acclimate the new students to WPI with research-based strategies to create a sense of community and belonging while developing individual academic goals for student success. Several faculty and staff are involved in this program, including Professor Matthew Ahrens (CS), Professor Thomas Noviello (PS), and Professor Carly Thorp (MS), with input from Professor Francesca Bernardi (MA), Professor Crystal Brown (SPSS), Debra Boucher (UG), and Kathy Chen (STEM).  

Each scholar is supported for four consecutive academic years and will be immersed in several activities to support the transition to college, navigating WPI, and graduating with a Bachelor of Science from WPI. The PI of the grant program is Rodica Neamtu (CS) Professor of Teaching, Director Bucharest Project Center, PI, NSF PASS-CS and is supported by the Office of Undergraduate Studies.