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Some welcome mats can be invisible but luminate brightly. For transfer students interested in science, technology, engineering and math, BW STEM Scholars can be a perfect entryway to finding personal and professional success.
For the 140 students in the Choose Ohio First (COF) STEM Scholars program, the benefits are lasting and immeasurable. Transfer students acclimating to a new school can find instant community with peers and mentors who care.
Kayla Boulton '26 just finished her first year at BW after transferring from Cuyahoga Community College with an associate's degree. The transition, she said, "was a big adjustment because the two schools have very different cultures."
She found BW and STEM Scholars to be welcoming and helpful.
"BW has given me more opportunities than I ever imagined. I've had access to more resources than ever before. Prior to becoming a Choose Ohio First (COF) STEM Scholar, I didn't have a resume, a LinkedIn account or any experience outside of academics," she acknowledged.
Today, the Cleveland native and chemistry major has all three plus a summer internship with the Sherwin-Williams Performance Coatings Group R&D. She credits BW STEM Scholars and the Career Center for providing mentorship and skill-building opportunities that led to her success.
Like Boulton, Steven Tumino '26 is also interning at Sherwin-Williams this summer. The Brooklyn, Ohio, native believes STEM Scholars offers the career-focused programming he needs to prepare for employment in IT and software development. It also provides much-needed financial support.
"COF workshop events taught me the utility of a STEM degree and the job prospects that can be expected. The funding allows me to live on campus, which significantly helps me focus on schoolwork and on campus events," explained the computer science major who transferred to BW from Cuyahoga Community College.
For some students, the community support they received through STEM Scholars was invaluable. Ryan Reffner '23 of Vermillion, Ohio, was among them.
"From my time at Lorain County Community College and my entire degree at Baldwin Wallace, I was the sole caretaker of my father after he became disabled due to his late-stage cancer diagnosis. It is because of the supportive and dedicated professors in the chemistry, physics and math departments and the STEM Scholars program that I was able to not only keep up with my assignments but to graduate summa cum laude and pursue my current Ph.D. at McGill University," he said thoughtfully.
"There are many things I benefited from in the STEM Scholars program. The community was great. The advisors helped me with the logistics of being a student and provided many resources for internships and other research opportunities outside of BW," noted Reffner, a chemistry major.
Like Reffner, Boulton also knows the value of community support through STEM Scholars. She was born with moderate to moderately severe hearing loss in both ears.
"The community in STEM Scholars has helped me so much. I don't think I would've received this much support anywhere else," she emphasized.
The BW Choose Ohio First STEM Scholars program is open to Ohio residents who are entering BW in the fall as a first-year student or transfer student. Through the Choose Ohio First scholarship, students in eligible majors can receive an annual, renewable financial aid award.
