The Women in STEM Mentorship Program (WSMP) is a year-long program that pairs a female COD STEM faculty member with a high school junior or senior who identifies as female and is interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
The goals of this program are to:
- Build relationships between mentors and mentees
- Positively impact the social development and academic achievement of participating young women as they consider pursuing a STEM field at College of DuPage
- Support and retain women in these programs by providing mentorship and networking before and during their educational pursuits at COD
- Develop cohorts of women participating in this program who can build relationships and establish a network of colleagues to turn to for support as they continue their STEM careers.
For a list of our STEM disciplines available at COD, visit our STEM Division website.
This is a competitive program which only accepts 10 participants per academic year. Preference is given to high school juniors. If a student applies for their junior year and is not accepted, they can reapply the following year. Interested participants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Identifies as female
- Is a high school junior or senior during program year
- Is interested in attending COD
- Is interested in pursuing a STEM field
- Can commit to a full year in the program (1-2 meetings monthly)
- Lives within COD district 502
- Has identified a high school STEM teacher who can recommend them for the program
Participants selected for this program will be matched with mentors based on their interests and preferences specified in the application.
(Note: At this time, our program does not have mentors specific to the medical field or pre-med tracks. If you are interested in medicine or pre-med as a career path and are accepted into our program, you will be paired with a mentor from a traditional STEM discipline.)
Participants will meet 1-2 times each month with their mentor over the course of the academic year. These meetings will take place virtually or in person. Monthly meetings will focus on a variety of topics, including: career exploration, student life, challenges in the field, college exploration, and outreach.
Participants will be expected to follow the guidelines outlined in the Mentee Welcome Packet provided upon acceptance in the program. They may also be asked to complete program reflections and participate in brief, periodic program evaluations.
How to Apply
Applications for the 2023/2024 school year are closed.
Opportunity for Financial Award
Participants who actively participate in the full mentorship program (1 year) and attend COD within 2 years of completing the program may be eligible to apply for a Financial Award ($1,000) to help support their studies at COD.
Financial Award Frequently Asked Questions
No, the financial award is a one-time, $1,000 award, per individual, regardless of whether you participate in one or two years of the program.
After completing the Financial Award form, the money will be added to your student account.
No. The money will remain on your student account until it is used or until you are no longer a student at COD.
If you have additional funds in excess of your tuition and fees, you may be eligible to purchase your books at our campus Bookstore during our Bookstore Dates. Please complete the Bookstore Authorization Form in the student portal before purchasing. You can also view the amount of funds you have available to use in the bookstore in the portal. Please provide your student ID number to the bookstore cashier to charge your purchase to these funds.
You have two years from when you completed your first year of the program to request your award. For example, if you were a mentee during the 2023/2024 school year, then you would have until the 2025/2026 school year to receive the award.
Unfortunately, no. This award is strictly for use to cover expenses related to completing coursework at College of DuPage.
If you do not have a student ID number yet, you need to apply to COD as an incoming student. There is a $20 application fee per application unless you qualify for an application fee waiver.
Contact Information
STEM Outreach Coordinator
Institutional Resource Center (IRC), Room 1062, (630) 942-3021