Stony Brook University marked the completion of its third Simons STEM Scholars Summer Bridge Program with a closing ceremony on August 9. The six-week program brought together 42 students, known as S3, for an introduction to academic life, leadership training, and community building.
Erwin Cabrera, executive director of the Simons STEM Scholars Program, highlighted the importance of peer support among participants. “A big part of this program is helping the students to take care of each other, and that’s part of why the previous cohorts have been so successful,” Cabrera said. “They formed study groups, worked together on projects, and lifted each other up. They knew they were not alone.”
Launched in 2022 through a $56.6 million commitment from the Simons Foundation, the Simons STEM Scholars Program provides full scholarships, housing, research opportunities, internship stipends, advising, and mentoring to students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. The initiative aims to offer a comprehensive support system starting from students’ first days at Stony Brook.
This year’s S3 cohort was noted as the most competitive since the program began. It attracted a record number of applicants and achieved new academic benchmarks with an average GPA of 97 and an average SAT score of 1450. Among those selected are three valedictorians, the program’s first student athlete and Regeneron scholar, as well as representation from five states.
During the Summer Bridge Program, students earned seven college credits in mathematics and psychology alongside a curriculum course specific to Simons STEM Scholars. They also participated in non-credit workshops in chemistry, physics or computer science designed to prepare them for college-level coursework.
Leadership development played a central role throughout the summer. Each week saw seven scholars chosen as leaders who received mentorship from campus faculty and staff on decision-making and team guidance.
Cabrera explained that leadership within this context emphasized collaboration over competition: “The scholars came in as leaders from high school, but leadership here wasn’t just about standing out; it was about stepping back when needed, making space for others, and lifting the collective,” he said.
Participants attended faculty-led research workshops covering various topics related to scientific careers and made site visits to laboratories both on campus and elsewhere. Mental health workshops provided tools for managing stress while etiquette training prepared students for professional networking settings.
Team-building activities helped foster problem-solving skills and group cohesion. Events such as the Simons Summer Games featured challenges like an egg drop contest (“Born to Fly”), a logic-based tic-tac-toe game (“Code Your Counselor”), and chemistry-focused group tasks (“Chemical Chaos”).
The cohort also collaborated on drafting a vision statement emphasizing unity and mutual support: “As Simons STEM Scholars, we emphasize the importance of unity and celebrating not only our individual accomplishments, but our accomplishments as a whole as we work towards becoming a cohort,” their statement read in part. “Rather than working as individuals, we recognize the effectiveness of working together to uplift each other in academics and social life to ensure cohort success. Through collaboration, mentorship, and a culture of belonging, we cultivated a cohesive cohort of scholars prepared to succeed and pursue impact through inclusion and diversity.”
They concluded by affirming their collective identity: “official owners of the Simons STEM Scholars Program” ready to begin their college journey “as a unified body of leaders, visionaries, professionals, and most importantly scholars.”
Cabrera commented on what he sees as lasting effects beyond summer: “These students built something bigger than themselves,” he said. “They created a community where success is shared and where every member lifts the others up. That is how you create change not just on a campus but in the world.”— Beth Squire
