The Polymer Science and Engineering Department at UMass Amherst ASPIRE (A Student-led Program in Research and Education) program recently celebrated 25 years of continuous service. Notably, this program, where local high school students come to the PSE research laboratories and conduct experiments and learn about polymer materials, is envisaged, realized, and directed entirely by PSE graduate students.
Quote by Kayla Koch, PSE Graduate Student ASPIRE Leader:
“It’s always a pleasure to watch the students go through the program and be excited about science, especially polymers! I am grateful to have this opportunity to inspire the next generation of scientists!”
In 2022, the ASPIRE program impacted 20 high school students from 7 local Massachusetts schools. The following year, 2023, the program received the highest number of applications ever (over 80!) and increased its impact to 37 high school students from 13 schools with ~25% of the student participants being of underrepresented demographics in STEM. In the 2022-2023 academic year, the ASPIRE program raised funds and was able to offer free transportation to high school students from cities located 30 to 60 minutes driving distance from the University to increase access to the program during its 5 weeks of Saturday sessions. This request for funding will directly result in a year-on-year increase in student access to the ASPIRE program.
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Student Alumni Association | 128 |
| 2 | $500 | UMass Women into Leadership | 90 |
| 3 | $500 | Professional Writing and Technical Communication | 36 |
| 4 | College of Education Student Emergency Fund | 10 | |
| 5 | Men's Lacrosse | 8 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Protect Our Breasts | 112 |
| 2 | $500 | University Without Walls | 69 |
| 3 | $500 | Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning | 31 |
| 4 | Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences | 29 | |
| 5 | Indian Classical Arts Society | 27 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Minuteman Marching Band | 87 |
| 2 | $500 | Fencing Club | 74 |
| 3 | $500 | Active Minds | 65 |
| 4 | Climbing Club | 60 | |
| 5 | HackUMass | 33 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | The Massachusetts Daily Collegian | 277 |
| 2 | $500 | Men's Ultimate Frisbee | 134 |
| 3 | $500 | UMass CHAARG | 99 |
| 4 | Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management | 85 | |
| 5 | The Boltwood Project | 75 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Stonewall Center | 160 |
| 2 | $500 | Model UN | 71 |
| 3 | $500 | Women for UMass Amherst | 48 |
| 4 | Film Studies Program | 41 | |
| 5 | Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 13 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Men's Rugby | 167 |
| 2 | $500 | Women’s Rugby Football Club | 122 |
| 3 | $500 | Student Care & Emergency Response Fund | 52 |
| 4 | UMass EMS | 46 | |
| 5 | UMass Hillel | 33 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Men's Club Rowing | 216 |
| 2 | $500 | Women's Club Ice Hockey | 123 |
| 3 | $500 | Spanish and Portuguese Studies | 78 |
| 4 | Filipino Student Association | 69 | |
| 5 | Nursing Study Abroad Scholarships | 25 |
| Rank | Prize | Department/Group/RSO | Donors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2,000 | Duly Noted | 270 |
| 2 | $500 | Women's Ultimate Frisbee | 148 |
| 3 | $500 | Boxing Club | 80 |
| 4 | Engineers Without Borders | 40 | |
| 5 | Cape Verdean Student Alliance | 32 |
