R.I.S.A.S.: HSI STEM
Before you begin exploring this webpage, please take a moment to acknowledge our indigenous communities around the world whose people tended to our lands, and continue to do so. Thank you to all; you are the original STEM scholars.
So what is R.I.S.A.S.? It stands for Radical Innovative Scholars Advancing STEM. We chose this name because it means joy, laughter, giggles and merriment in Spanish. R.I.S.A.S. came from many observations in various academic spaces that sometimes lack joy, and we often forget joy can be a form of resistencia (resistance) for our students. We embrace the concept of joy as a healthy reaction to most of what life throws our way. The individual words that make up R.I.S.A.S. represent what we hope our students will embody: innovative scholars who are willing and able to think differently, try new things, embrace creativity, and elevate their respective STEM fields after graduation.
The R.I.S.A.S. program at Lake Tahoe Community College helps Latino/a/x/e and low-income students who are interested in pursuing education and careers in STEM. Students at LTCC who are majoring in Math, Computer Information Sciences, Cybersecurity, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Geography, and Geology and other STEM-related programs can take advantage of R.I.S.A.S. We provide free counseling and tutoring, financial aid services, transfer guidance, mental health and wellness support, and lots of opportunities to explore STEM career paths. We'll support your classroom efforts so you reach your goals, but we also can connect you with valuable, relevant internships and work experiences.
Whether you're already a registered student in a STEM major or just exploring your options, please contact us, introduce yourself, and let's get started!
Mission:
Strive to advance knowledge about STEM with a social justice lens, encourage scholarly inquiry and promote computational thinking in diverse educational contexts.
Vision:
- Cultivating equity in education through equity-mindedness.
- Amplifying teaching and learning through anti-racist STEM curriculum.
- Creating capacity for innovation across education systems.
- Helping students develop an academic self-concept both in and outside the classroom.
There are many STEM scholarships offering millions of dollars to students each year! Many scholarships open up between January and April 2023, with Spring quarter application deadlines. Please check back here for updated information. Periodically, you should search the Internet for new ones! Every year, thousands of scholarship dollars get left unclaimed by students, so be proactive and keep looking - there IS a scholarship for you!
The right work experience plus a great STEM education can well prepare you for a sustainable career after college. Use the links below to connect with career support and development at LTCC:
Kenya SanchoOutreach Coordinatoremail
Karina ÁlvarezRetention Specialistemail
Nicole BergnerSTEM Counseloremailwebsite
Michael BangsResearch Analystemail
América RamírezFinancial Aidemail
Amber GoligoskiInternship & Work Experience Coordinatoremail- Nadine Trouyet-DavisTutor Program Specialistemailwebsite