The School of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (SEMS) at Robert Morris University (RMU) was awarded a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund scholarships to 21 academically talented but financially challenged students majoring in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Each student will receive a total of $24,000 over their four years of study. This study presents the planning of the first cohort and its experiences during the first year of the grant project. Most importantly, this paper focuses on the experiences and tracking data from these students during their first year as college students. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)