$2M NSF grant invests in the future of STEM

The University of Washington Tacoma has received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support phase three of the Achieving Change in our Communities for Student Success (ACCESS) in STEM program.

With this new funding, the program will welcome three new cohorts of first-year students intending to major in STEM fields. Initially launched in 2018, ACCESS in STEM provides talented undergraduates who have limited financial resources with focused mentoring, research experiences, an optional on-campus living learning community and four years of scholarship support.

“As UW Tacoma grows, we want to make STEM degrees accessible to more students from Washington state,” says EC Cline, Ph.D., an associate professor of science and mathematics and director of the ACCESS program. “Affordability can be a huge barrier to college for many South Sound families. With this grant, we can provide students with up to four years of funding so they can focus on their studies and achieve their career goals.”

ACCESS supports students throughout college

ACCESS scholars can receive up to four years of financial support, along with:

• Dedicated faculty and peer mentoring
• Research experiences starting early in college
• Career exploration, internships and professional networking
• Help navigating college systems like advising, financial aid and registration
• An optional STEM living learning community in campus housing

Since receiving phase one NSF funding in 2018, ACCESS has supported 123 students across seven cohorts, nearly all of them Washington residents. Sixty-five percent of scholars are first-generation college students, and 40% come from racial or ethnic groups that are historically underrepresented in higher education.

For many students, ACCESS provides both confidence and clarity.

“ACCESS surpassed my expectations with what it’s provided for me,” says Eamon Challinor, a senior majoring in computer science, who says the program made him feel more committed to staying in STEM. “The cohort sessions helped so much with all the little things that are hard to know when you’re starting college, like where to go for information about classes you might take.”

Through ACCESS, Challinor also attended the American Association for the Advancement of Science S-STEM conference, which helped him develop his research project on AI and international copyright frameworks.

ACCESS scholars achieve academic and career success

An initial review of ACCESS in STEM found that participants have higher GPAs and retention rates — and lower stress levels — than their peers. Scholars are also twice as likely to enter STEM majors by their second year of college. Program graduates have gone on to secure highly competitive internships and jobs with South Sound businesses and community partners. Others discovered passions for research that led them to new academic horizons.

In addition to working with individual mentors throughout their studies, students meet with a cohort mentor during their first two years at UW Tacoma.

“Our cohort mentor was incredible,” says Daniil Filienko, who earned his bachelor’s degree in 2023 and is now a Ph.D. candidate in computer science at UW Tacoma. “He made sure we had access to every computer science resource that he knew about, did lots of workshops, helped us find scholarships and fellowships moving forward, and wrote us recommendations. When I was offered an opportunity to pursue my Ph.D., he provided helpful guidance on what to expect, including discussing some possible grants and funding sources for graduate school.”

Campus life becomes more accessible

In addition to scholarships, research experience and career opportunities, ACCESS connects students with resources across campus, including admissions, financial aid, student advising and the registrar’s office. A STEM living/learning community for scholars launched in the Court 17 Residence Hall in 2018 and was reinstated after the pandemic.

“For some of our students, living on campus makes it easier to participate in co-curricular activities, develop their sense of belonging, and have access to resources,” Cline said. “You don’t have to worry about getting to class if your car breaks down, which we know can be a huge barrier to finishing school. ACCESS opens the door to campus housing for students who thought they couldn’t afford that choice.”

Robyn Watkins, a senior majoring in civil engineering, wanted to live in on-campus housing to focus on her studies and was able to do so with support from ACCESS. “It was nice not having to worry about combining a full-time job with full-time school — that took a lot of weight off my plate,” they said.

Watkins will graduate this June and has already secured a full time job with the local office of a global architectural, engineering and construction firm. “I don’t think I would have been able to land an opportunity like that if not for the research experiences that I got through the ACCESS program.”

How to apply for autumn 2026

Incoming first-year students have until February 23 to review eligibility and apply for the autumn 2026 cohort’s priority deadline. Filienko encourages anyone interested to apply, even if they’re unsure.

“When I was applying, I had doubts about whether I qualified and wasn’t sure what to expect,” he said. “ACCESS is less like a class and more like a career opportunity. It’s helpful stuff you need to figure out on your own either way, so you might as well get help and funding while you do.”

The ACCESS in STEM program is made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation and private donors, including MultiCare. The ACCESS team includes EC Cline, Joyce Dinglasan-Panlilio, Jutta Heller, Marc Nahmani, Amanda Sesko, Zaher Kmail, Ka Yee Yeung, Heather Dillon, Menaka Abraham, Seung-Jin Lee, Leighann Chaffee, Eva Ma, Raghavi Sakpal, Deveeshree Nayak, evaluator Emily Cilli-Turner, and UW Tacoma staff JaCinda Barnes, Genesha Lee and Alice Few.