OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM: The STARS program has two principal objectives: to increase the available pool of scientists, engineers and mathematicians (SEMs) by tapping into the cohort of underrepresented groups by supporting highly qualified and promising individuals in their studies towards a Masters degree; and to serve as a recruiting vehicle to obtain such promising individuals as permanent members of the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) technical staff.

CONCEPT OF THE PROGRAM: Through a process of advertising for applications, and evaluation of those applications by a panel of learned individuals with SEM backgrounds, several highly qualified students completing their junior year of study at an historically Black college or university or other minority institution (HBCU/MI) will be selected to become ARL STARS Fellows. The following benefits, opportunities, obligations, and conditions will accrue to those individuals so selected:

Selectees to be named as STARS Fellows will:

1. Report at the beginning of their junior-senior summer to ARL to be in-processed as Schedule B excepted service employees (under the Student Career Experience Program, 5CFR213.3202) of ARL and to receive an orientation relevant to that employment, following which they will receive an assignment with one of the technical directorates or centers to work on an approved technical project under an approved mentor for approximately ten weeks or until their senior year session reconvenes;
2. Receive a salary of a GS-04 employee for that work performed over the summer; in order to provide a partial offset for living expenses during this period of summer employment, the STARS fellows will receive their salary at the rate of a Step 10 GS-04 (current annual rate of $24,890; this will provide a gross weekly additional allowance over the Step 1 rate of approximately $108); allowable round trip travel expenses from the selectee’s home or school to ARL will also be provided;
3. Receive financial assistance towards their tuition, fees, books, and other appropriate allowable expenses (as determined by the selectee’s ARL supervisor) for their senior year of study not to exceed the sum of $20,000, such support for tuition and fees to be forwarded to the student’s school via a training form (DD Form 1556), and such support for the cost of books and other allowable expenses to be reimbursed to the student upon submission of appropriate documentation;
4. Have the opportunity to continue their ARL project work during the school year, both on campus while school is in session, and at ARL during vacation periods under the mentorship of their ARL supervisor and an appropriate member of their school's faculty, such work to be on an hourly basis at the annual rate of a GS-04/10 for that work accomplished; during these periods their employment status will be as an intermittent employee working less than 16 hours per week;
5. Return to ARL for the summer following their graduation to continue their work, such work to be recompensed at the rate of a GS-05 employee;
6. Enter a graduate school of their choosing to continue appropriate studies towards a Masters degree in an appropriate SEM course of study, such studies to be supported by the ARL STARS program in an amount not to exceed $30,000 for each of two years to be used for tuition, fees and books, and such moneys to be distributed in a manner similar to that described in paragraph 3 above;
7. Continue to work on ARL programs during and between their academic sessions in a manner similar to that described in paragraphs 4 and 5 above at a GS grade level appropriate to their current level of education and work experience;
8. Upon completion of their Masters degree, be converted to a Career Conditional employee of ARL at the grade of GS-11 with all the rights, benefits and obligations of a member of the United States Civil Service.

The principal responsibilities of STARS fellows during this three year period of schooling and employment are:

1. Complete their senior year at, and receive a Bachelors degree in an appropriate SEM subject area from, an accredited HBCU/MI while maintaining a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0;
2. Enroll in, and complete, a two year Masters program in an appropriate SEM subject area from a graduate institution (not necessarily an HBCU/MI), maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0 throughout the program;
3. Work as a salaried employee (Schedule B) at ARL during the three summers beginning with the junior-senior summer (required), and during vacation periods at ARL and at school while in session (optional) on programs of interest to ARL as determined by the student’s ARL supervisor, and under the joint mentorship of an ARL supervisor and a faculty member of the school;
4. Maintain a performance appraisal record of at least Satisfactory while performing ARL work;
5. At the completion of the Masters program, agree to conversion to Career Conditional status as a U. S. Government employee at ARL, and remain in the employment of ARL for a period of not less than that equaling the number of months of education received from ARL under the STARS program.

Upon arriving at ARL for their initial in-processing, selectees will be assigned to one of ARL’s Directorates/Centers where they will be introduced to their area of technical work. Each STARS Fellow will have a mentor assigned to guide them in their research and a sponsor to help them settle into their position as a new employee of ARL.

Selectees should note that it will be approximately 4 weeks from their entry into the government service before they will receive their first paycheck and should plan accordingly. Subsequent paychecks are delivered in accordance with the biweekly pay period schedule.