University of Massachusetts funds a fellowship program for groups that are underrepresented in STEM fields
The University of Massachusetts is funding a fellowship program for graduate students from historically underrepresented groups in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
The Spaulding-Smith Fellowships will benefit 20 new graduate students, who for two years will receive full-tuition scholarships, year-round stipends, funding to present at academic conferences and mentoring. The fellowships are meant to increase diversity in fields that have historically lacked gender and racial diversity, both at UMass Amherst and across the country.
“I greatly look forward to implementing the many exciting components of the Spaulding-Smith Fellowship Program in the service of our talented STEM students from diverse backgrounds,” Funmi Adebayo, assistant dean for inclusion and engagement in the graduate school, said in a statement. “I am confident that it will help our fellows thrive as they pursue their academic and professional goals.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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