Six students from Cal State San Bernardino’s Experiential Computing and Engaged Learning Scholarships (ExCELS) program joined more than 1,200 scholars from across the nation at the 2025 S-STEM Scholars Meeting, held Oct. 2-4 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego.

The ExCELS scholars — Ray Claudio, Nathalie Duran, José Coyt-Torres, Jerry Cervantes Fernandez, Miguel Madrigal, and Constance Rios — received travel grants to participate in the three-day conference organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

The annual event brought together S-STEM scholars from colleges and universities nationwide for a weekend of keynote sessions, poster presentations, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities designed to strengthen student success and career pathways in STEM fields.

Housed within CSUSB’s School of Computer Science and Engineering, the ExCELS program provides scholarships, mentoring and hands-on research experiences for academically talented, low-income students pursuing degrees in computing and data science.

“We are grateful to AAAS and NSF for supporting the S-STEM program and creating a national platform that empowers our students,” said Yunfei Hou, principal investigator of the ExCELS program and professor in the School of Computer Science and Engineering. “Our scholars returned from the conference inspired by new ideas, connections, and a renewed sense of purpose in pursuing their STEM goals.”

“The remarkable achievements of our ExCELS scholars exemplify CSUSB’s steadfast commitment to advancing access, inclusion, and excellence in STEM,” said Khalil Dajani, chair of the School of Computer Science and Engineering. “Through initiatives such as ExCELS, we empower and support first-generation and low-income students by providing the resources and opportunities necessary for them to excel in the computational sciences. We remain deeply committed to positioning CSUSB as a leader within the CSU system in fostering student success and ensuring that every student has the foundation to realize their full potential.”

For ExCELS scholar Duran, the conference offered both insight and inspiration.
“Attending the AAAS S-STEM Conference was a great opportunity to connect with students nationwide and gain insight into what makes candidates stand out beyond just a resume,” Duran said. “I learned what graduate programs and employers are really looking for, and it was inspiring to learn about the innovative research happening at other institutions.”

The ExCELS program is supported by the NSF S-STEM Award #2322436, totaling $2.5 million. The grant aims to create inclusive and sustainable pathways in the computational sciences workforce, leading to careers in the Inland Empire. Hou serves as principal investigator, with Dajani, Qingquan Sun, Yan Zhang, and Jose Munoz as co-principal investigators. Over five years, the program will provide up to 150 scholarships to students pursuing computing-related majors across the region.

For more information, visit the ExCELS program webpage. 

About the S-STEM Scholars Meeting

Hosted annually by the AAAS S-STEM Resource and Evaluation Center (REC) with funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the S-STEM Scholars Meeting convenes more than 1,000 scholars each year. The event offers opportunities for presenters to share research, network with peers and mentors, and participate in workshops and panel sessions focused on strengthening STEM career pathways.