Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced that Cal State University, San Bernardino(CSUSB) will receive $2.5 million from the National Science Foundation for a new scholarship benefiting students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

CSUSB will use this funding to create 150 scholarships across five years for qualifying students pursuing a degree in computer science. Additionally, the award will help fund the program’s efforts to include more culturally responsive and active learning pedagogical techniques. This funding is expected to benefit over 1,000 students within the department.

“There’s nothing more important than making sure that every aspiring scientist, engineer and inventor, regardless of who they are or what their zip code is, has a fair shot at realizing their full potential,” said Rep. Aguilar. “I’m so glad that these federals dollars will help open the doors of opportunity for CSUSB students pursuing an education in STEM. When we prioritize the inclusion of more culturally responsive teaching, we help make sure our next generation of leaders have the tools and experience needed to succeed in school and do well in their careers.”

“This grant will help us to build better Computer Science programs at CSUSB. Our goal is to empower our students with the skills, support, and opportunities they need to succeed, allowing them to contribute to the growing computing industry in the Inland Empire” said Yunfei Hou, Associate Professor at CSUSB.

Rep. Aguilar has been a long-time advocate for STEM studies at CSUSB, including helping restart the University’s Cyber Scholarship Program in 2018, and securing over $10 million in federal funding for the program since then.

Rep. Aguilar serves as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and is a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.