The U.S. National Science Foundation has recently awarded Loyola a $2 million, six-year grant. The grant will be put towards the Empowering STEM Scholars for Success (ES) Program.
The ES program ‘will support academically talented students with financial needs who are majoring in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, engineering, and forensic science,’ according to Loyola.
Assistant Teaching Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Dr. Kyle Ann Lunsford shared what excites her most about the Empowered Scholars Program.
“One of the most exciting parts is the variety of majors that are included in the program. The program facilitates ES students to work together as peers, as well as work closely with the ES advisors spanning all the major departments,” Lunsford said.
Lunsford also shared how new possibilities can open up if people step outside of their comfort zone and experience new things.
“Sometimes, I think we gravitate to stay within a ‘comfort zone’ within a small subsection of a degree and/or career. However, I thoroughly believe that great things happen when we step outside our comfort zones, cross barriers between the fields and work harmoniously with other scientists across disciplines,” Lunsford said.
Professors Lunsford and Professor of Engineering Robert Bailey, as well as students like Mia Burall ‘27, believe that the ES program will be hugely beneficial within the Loyola community. Not only will this grant set students up for successes outside of the classroom, but it will also enable students who would not have been able to attend Loyola for financial reasons to do so.
Bailey shared how Loyola and its new program compares to state schools and how students can benefit under Loyola’s missions.
“I went to a large state school. And while I love my alma mater, in my 20 years here, I’ve come to understand the things that Loyola can provide that large state schools generally cannot. For example, a level of personal attention and interaction that encourages students to think and grow in ways they may not have anticipated,” Bailey said.
Bailey hopes that the ES program will open doors for students who might not otherwise have considered a career in STEM.
“The Empowered Scholars program will help students cultivate skills and introduce them to contacts within their fields that will enable their careers to take off from the get-go. They will be critical thinkers who care about making a positive difference for society in their particular area, and the program will help them identify and explore ways they can choose to make that difference,” Bailey said.
Students around campus are optimistic about the ES Program, such as Burall, who is an interdisciplinary major in biology and forensic science. Burall shared how the use of this grant money will be an exciting resource for students.
“I think getting new technology is going to benefit the school tremendously. I also think that students will be motivated to study longer and engage in class more knowing that new resources will be readily available,” Burall said.
To learn more about this grant or about the ES program as a whole, visit https://www.loyola.edu/news/2025/0922-nsf-grant-empowered-scholars.html.