LaSPACE Guided Pathways in STEM (GPS) is a competitive program developed to accomplish two core goals: 1) provide competitively awarded financial support that helps recruit/retain students in a NASA-relevant discipline, and 2) create requirements for funded students that will also be professional development opportunities. Professional Development activities will include opportunities to further explore NASA career paths as well as personal portfolio development like writing a professional bio. This program is meant to open pathways for participation. Traditionally limiting requirements will not be included: e.g. faculty letters of recommendation, minimum GPAs, etc. will not be considered.

Applicants must complete an online application. Before completing this application, students must also complete our LaSPACE / NASA Media Release Form and Student Participant form. Award recipients will be selected entirely based on the quality of their responses to a series of short essay questions. Point values are listed with each question and the total possible highest score is 100. In situations where equally qualified applications are submitted, selection will be influenced by establishing the most diverse possible cohort of recipients (i.e. we want to fund a group of students from a variety of majors enrolled in as many different institutions around our state as possible).

GPS Program Details

• Award Period: February 2024 (Awards Announced/Initiated) – June 2024 (Exit Interviews)
• Applications due: Friday, January 19, 2024
• $3000 award per student, distributed in installments via the National Space Grant Foundation (NSGF). Details for setting that up will be provided. All students will need to promptly respond to the NSGF to set up the payment protocol. The second and third installments are contingent upon GPS scholars participating in weekly professional development activities. Planned disbursement schedule, subject to change:
  • 1st Installment: $1000, late February/early March
  • 2nd Installment: $1000, April
  • 3rd Installment: $1000, late May/early June
• For this competition, we anticipate the awarding of up to 20 students around the state. Awards are contingent upon receipt of NASA funding and quality of submitted applications.

2024 GPS Scholars Cohort 2 Application Guidelines: LaSPACE GPS Scholars Application Guidelines 2024 – Cohort 2