Ambition + Talent × Philanthropy = STEM Success

“It can be challenging as a minority student to enter the STEM fields, where you don’t often meet people who share your background or look like you.” –Ana De La Fuente Duran

Thanks to the Millennium Scholars Program and the support of Eberly College of Science alumnus Steve Mahle and his wife, Kathi Austin Mahle, Duran and other talented students from underrepresented communities are finding each other and a path to the future at Penn State. With a $1 million gift, matched with $1 million in University funds through a recently concluded matching program, the Mahles endowed a scholarship for students, like Duran, who have the potential to earn advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).

Millennium Scholars receive more than financial support: the program offers a tight-knit community, mentoring and advising, and other services and resources to help them fulfill their ambitions.