Preparing Students to Make an Impact

The Kummer Vanguard Scholars program provides scholarships to up to 400 undergraduate STEM scholars each year, based on academic and non-academic criteria. Each scholar is awarded $1,000–$3,000 per year for up to four years, and may be combined with other university scholarships.

Each semester, Kummer Vanguard Scholars are provided with experiences that complement what they learn in their labs and classrooms, and expands upon the opportunities available to them as they pursue a STEM degree at Missouri S&T.

A student wearing a black sweatshirt with Missouri S&T on it and jeans sits on grass in front of a building.

The Kummer Vanguard Scholars program is beneficial to people wanting to go above and beyond in their career. It is teaching us skills that newly graduating college students wish they knew.”

— Catalina Ortega
Kummer Vanguard Scholar studying aerospace engineering

Learn More and Apply

Learn more about the application process, eligibility and requirements — and apply to become a Kummer Vanguard Scholar.

Apply Now

Requirements to maintain eligibility

The Kummer Vanguard Scholars Program guides students through an exploration of entrepreneurship, research, design and build, social responsibility, and leadership. Once admitted to the program, scholars must meet the following requirements to remain active and eligible for the scholarship:

  • Maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA
  • Be in good standing in a STEM major of study
  • Maintain full-time status as a Missouri S&T student
  • Participate in a minimum of 80% of the required program initiatives each semester (15 hours). Program initiatives will be offered at various times and days each semester to ensure all scholars have numerous opportunities to attend.

In your first semester you are required to attend:

  • The Kummer Vanguard Scholars Kick-Off event
  • Five speaker sessions, during which you’ll hear insights from entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders about how the five focus areas shaped their career trajectory
  • Six Student Well-Being certification program activities, which will help you build a strong holistic foundation to support your success
  • Three scholars connection activities, which provide an opportunity to connect with fellow scholars, challenge your thinking and begin building a network

During the second semester, to remain active in the program and eligible for the scholarship, scholars must:

  • Submit goal setting and reflections for the various activities of the semester to enhance learning and personal development skills
  • Complete a review and assessment of understanding for concepts that support the application of the five focus areas: entrepreneurship, leadership, social responsibility, design and build, and research
  • Participate in activities to develop an understanding of the five focus areas with other Kummer Vanguard Scholars in small groups throughout the semester
  • Be involved with at least one co-curricular activity, such as a student organization, student design team, or employment position
  • Seek out training or certification for an area or concept that will enhance your studies and future career plans

Ideally, these activities should be completed over the course of the semester.

You will take greater control of your experience moving forward as you self-select into one of the five focus areas you want to explore: entrepreneurship, leadership, social responsibility, design and build, or research.

Your first step in this process is to select one of three tracks as outlined below.

  1. Participate in one of two programs for one year:
    • Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experiences (OURE)
    • One of S&T’s many student design teams
  2. Participate in one Kummer Colloquium each semester:
    • For details, see What is a Kummer Colloquium?
    • Kummer colloquium sections will be announced early each summer
    • Serving as a peer mentor or a mentor during opening week counts as participation in a Kummer Colloquium
  3. Create your own project:
    • The project can be for one semester or for the entire year
    • The project must address one of the five focus areas: entrepreneurship, leadership, social responsibility, design and build, or research

In addition to the specific participation required within each track, you will submit your reflection of the experiential, educational and social components of your experience, and to identify ways the program’s other focus areas connect with your experience. These reflections serve to underscore your learning and growth experienced throughout these experiences.

Failure to actively participate in the track you select will result in the loss of your scholarship.

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