The mission of the GEMS (Girls EXCELing in Math and Science) 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)
Learn more about the program from our current mentors!
GEMS Events
Close out the semester with GEMSgiving! Come for a potluck with mentees and mentors where music will be playing, sign-in sheet for food will be posted closer to events happening.