The mission of the GEMS program is to increase student success in the first two years of the student’s college career in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) discipline. To accomplish this mission GEMS offers the following benefits to GEMS participants:
- A designated GEMS mentor who is an older EXCEL student from a similar discipline as the GEMS mentee. The GEMS mentor interacts with their mentees frequently face-to-face and through other means. The GEMS mentor offers the necessary support that a mentee might need to guarantee a smooth transition from high school to college in their first year at UCF.
- A dedicated EXCEL First Year Academic Success Coach and all the STEM college academic success coaches consult with the GEMS students in a timely and proactive fashion about the courses that they need to take in their designated STEM discipline.
- Mentorship events organized throughout the academic year to introduce GEMS participants to role models from STEM disciplines and the opportunity to interact with them on a one-to-one basis.
- Social activities that help solidify the bonds amongst the mentors, mentees, GEMS staff and other EXCEL students, bonds that are critical for a student’s success in their first year in college.
- All the benefits offered by the EXCEL program to its student participants (for more details click on EXCEL).
- This program is open to all students in EXCEL/COMPASS.
Learn more about the program from our current mentors!
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