TRENTON, NJ – Lt. Governor Oliver announced today that the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) has opened the application period for the first annual Lt. Governors’ STEM Scholarship Program for STEM-related projects and opportunities in the classroom, sponsored by ACT, to award up to $1,000 to 12 schools nationally to support STEM-related activities for youth. Applications will be accepted until May 31, 2022, with award recipients announced and funded in Summer 2022.

“New Jersey has established itself as a leader in embracing and providing a high-quality STEM education to students, which is why this scholarship program is a great opportunity for our youth,” said Lt. Governor Oliver, Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs and NLGA Eastern Regional Chair. “I’m thrilled to see that my fellow Lt. Governors are also working to support STEM-related activities in schools across the country so we can encourage a long-term interest and passion in STEM Education in America’s youth, while building the workforce of the future.”

“We applaud the National Lieutenant Governors Association for their support of STEM programming in schools,” said Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan, Acting Commissioner of Education. “Initiatives of this kind directly contribute to student’s postsecondary success after graduation by fostering enthusiasm and education in the high-demand STEM field.”

NLGA will award three scholarships to states and territories in each of the four NLGA regions in 2022. Two schools from each region will be awarded $1,000 each and one school from each region will be awarded $500, for a total of 12 scholarships worth $10,000. The funding must be utilized for Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics educational opportunities, such as projects, curriculum, or equipment. The Scholarship Program is administered by NLGA, the nonpartisan, nonprofit association for the nation’s seconds-in-command, and sponsored by ACT, the education and career readiness nonprofit.

“As the only major college admissions test provider to include a science assessment, ACT believes that a high-quality STEM education is important to enable all learners, including and especially young people from underserved populations, to graduate high school ready to succeed in a STEM career,” ACT Chief Executive Officer Janet Godwin said. “We are proud to sponsor this program and equip all students for the economy of today and tomorrow.”

All public, private, and tribal schools in the 50 states and five U.S. territories are invited to apply at nlga.awardsplatform.com. Funding will be awarded to schools to support STEM-related activities, programming, curriculum, equipment, and other expenses.

“The need for increased educational opportunities in STEM is bipartisan and an area of consensus for the nation’s lieutenant governors,” said NLGA Executive Director Julia Brossart. “NLGA has adopted STEM Education as a pillar of work for the association on behalf of Members, who see the importance of educating students in STEM to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow.”

Applications will be reviewed in June 2022, with award winners announced at the NLGA Annual Meeting, July 20-22, 2022. Additional information on the STEM Scholarship Program, including instructions for applying, can be found at https://nlga.us/strategies/nlga-state-strategies-in-stem/.

For more information about NLGA, visit https://nlga.us/.