About COFSP

In Spring 2008, the State of Ohio awarded $4.5 million of the Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program (COFSP) to a Northeast Ohio consortium of universities, including Youngstown State University, to increase the number of STEM graduates in Northeast Ohio by improving mathematics preparedness for STEM majors.  In the 2010–2012 academic year, that grant was renewed for at least two more years, making available $338,400 of scholarship funding each year for eligible College of STEM students.

Youngstown State University primarily implements the COFSP consortium grant through these three components:

(1) Junior-to-Senior Summer Bridge Enrichment Program.  This program identifies high school juniors who are interested in STEM programs, have potential for success in STEM areas, and need additional special help to make them calculus or precalculus ready in their senior year (by 1 March), help provided through free programs in the Summer term between their junior and senior high school years. Critical to carrying out this mission are Youngstown State University's partnering secondary institutions in the Mahoning Valley: Chaney High School (Youngstown), East High School (Youngstown), Girard High School (Girard), Liberty High School (Liberty), Warren G. Harding High School (Warren), and Youngstown Early College.  Calculus readiness is essential to beginning without delay these programs in YSU's College of STEM: computer science, engineering, environmental science, geology, mathematics, physics, statistics.  And precalculus readiness is essential to beginning without delay these programs in YSU's College of STEM: biology, chemistry, computer information systems, engineering technology.

(2) Scholarship Funding Program.  This program identifies high school seniors who have applied to YSU, chosen a STEM major in YSU's College of STEM, and demonstrated by 1 March of their senior year the mathematics preparedness appropriate to beginning that major without delay.  While all qualified seniors from Ohio are encouraged to apply, there is a special priority on those qualified seniors that completed the bridge program described above, as well as a priority on qualified seniors from partner high schools and urban and rural districts in the Youngstown-Warren area, and qualified seniors with financial need.  Awarded students are eligible for the following benefits:

(a) Free Calculus or Pre-Calculus Course.  Tuition is paid for a free calculus or precalculus course in the Summer term immediately following the high school senior year.  The choice of course depends on the STEM major of the student and the appropriate corresponding level of mathematics preparedness.

(b) COFSP Funding for Academic Year.  Last dollar COFSP funding of between $1,500 and $4,700 is available beginning the academic year following the senior high school year.  The exact amount depends on the student's financial need.  COFSP awardees maintaining a 3.00 GPA and making timely progress in their STEM program will be supported for additional academic years up to four years, providing State budgets and grant funding permit.

(3) On Campus Enrichment Program for COFSP Student Awardees.  Awarded students form COFSP Cohorts and are mentored by College of STEM faculty and students from older COFSP Cohorts.  Cohort activities include: mandatory Cohort meetings (where students meet College faculty and industry professionals); collaborative research with faculty and student mentors as members of COFSP Project Teams, along with presentations of Project Team research at YSU's annual QUEST, the annual College of STEM Showcase, and the annual Northeast Ohio COFSP Consortium Spring Research Conference; enrollment in the restrictive College of STEM Co-op and Internship Program (STEM CIP) and the exclusive Northeast Ohio Program in Internships and Co-ops (NEOPIC); and provision of private tutors as needed to insure timely progress toward graduation.

Resources for More Information and Application Forms

For more information on the Junior-to-Senior Summer Bridge Enrichment Program, as well as its application form, please click on "Junior-to-Senior Summer Bridge Program 2012.pdf" and "Application Bridge Form 2012.pdf". 

For more information on the Scholarship Funding Program and the On Campus Enrichment Program for COFSP Student Awardees, as well as the application form for the funding program, please click on "COFSP Scholarship Funding Opportunities 2012.pdf" and "Application Funding Form 2012.pdf".

For more detailed information on the COFSP program as a whole at YSU, please click on "COFSP Brochure 2012.pdf".

For information on the Northeast Ohio COFSP consortium, please go to http://www.csuohio.edu/success_in_math/.