NSF S-STEM grant makes difference in lives of engineering students

Michael Perdue knew he wanted to become an engineer after taking robotics courses in 10th grade. Hernan Don-Salazar’s interest in the field was piqued after participating in high school robotics competitions. Thanks to a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, their dreams have become a reality at University of Detroit Mercy. 

Led by Professor of Mechanical Engineering Shuvra Das, the grant has supported more than a dozen students in the University’s Robotics and Mechatronics Systems Engineering program by providing significant scholarship money annually. 

“The grant served to bridge the gap between out-of-pocket tuition costs and what they were able to get from the University,” Das said. 

The financial aspect of the NSF grant — students received $9,000 a year to assist with tuition — allowed Don-Salazar and Perdue to focus on their coursework and build relationships with their peers in the program. Both graduates now work as engineers for General Motors. 

“It helped me out financially and to not stress as much about working or deciding if I should keep going,” Don-Salazar '21 said. “I was able to meet other people who also received the same grant, and we really helped each other out.” 

“The grant took care of a nice chunk of my tuition,” Perdue '21 added. “I was introduced to other people in my program as well as people and resources to help me get through college.” 

These were outcomes Das was hoping for a decade ago when he began applying for a grant through NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, which aims to increase and understand the success of students who demonstrate financial need and are pursuing STEM degrees. The grant was awarded to Detroit Mercy’s College of Engineering & Science in 2015 and ran through August 2022. 

The purpose of the grant was to attract underrepresented, first-generation students to the Robotics and Mechatronics Systems Engineering program, which Detroit Mercy launched during the 2012-13 academic year. Students who received scholarship money from the grant were required to enroll and stay in the program. 

“There were a couple of students who weren’t sure what was going to be their major, but the grant and good news of 100% tuition coverage sort of forced the major on them,” Das said. “But it was not because they were reluctant; they weren’t sure what major to pick. None of them had any complaints that they’d take another major.” 

There were two motivating factors for Das to seek this grant from NSF: Detroit Mercy’s Jesuit and Mercy mission and industrial needs. He supported 14 students through this grant as they worked toward earning a degree from the University. Eight students have graduated from the program and started their careers, while six more are expected to graduate next spring. 

“I feel very strongly about the mission and making sure that students who want to do something with their life get the opportunity,” Das said. “The second thing is need; the industry has been saying that there is need for these types of programs with electrification of vehicles. The kind of skills engineers need to work in the new automotive world is quite different from what it used to be. Purely mechanical engineers or purely electrical engineers are not enough; you need those interdisciplinary skills.” 

One of the toughest challenges students in the program faced was transitioning from high school to college. Don-Salazar experienced this firsthand, admitting he wasn’t prepared at first. 

“Coming in, I wasn’t really expecting college to be so difficult, especially engineering, as well as realizing what I did before in high school wasn’t going to work in college,” Don-Salazar said. “This resulted in me really having to focus on my studies, become a more organized person and manage my time more appropriately. All that time matters.” 

Perdue also faced challenges while studying at Detroit Mercy, but was able to get through it with the help of a support system and programming, such as the University’s TRIO Student Support Services program. TRIO is designed to provide underrepresented student populations with academic support, cultural engagement and personal development programming. 

“It was tough constantly having to fight problems that spring up and still have time for what I was supposed to do,” he said. 

Building relationships with peers was crucial for Don-Salazar's experience in the Robotics and Mechatronics Systems Engineering program. 

“A lot of the projects I did as an engineering student were team oriented. Being able to go through education and those projects helped me realize that you don’t have to do everything yourself, you can always lean on others for support,” he said. “Especially at Detroit Mercy, considering how small the classes are and how many interactions you have with your professors. The support is there and it really helped.” 

Learn more about Detroit Mercy's College of Engineering & Science.

— By Ricky Lindsay. Follow Detroit Mercy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Have a story idea? Let us know by submitting your idea.