Two Squared Fellows programs, a fall and a spring cohort, take place each year. The fall cohort starts in September, while the spring cohort starts in March. The fellowship will begin with weekly meetings for 10-15 weeks, and upon completion of this rotation cycle, fellows will spend the rest of their yearlong program commitment meeting monthly with an assigned mentor. Mentor meetings are determined by the mentor and mentee and take place during mutually agreed upon dates and times. Specific dates for activities will be sent to Fellows as they are scheduled.

Squared Fellows is a hybrid program that meets weekly for a semester (10 – 15 weeks), spending an average of 2 hours each week in immersive learning experiences. Each week will include either a site visit prep session (virtual), or a STEM industry site visit (in-person). Attendance and full participation each week are mandatory for all Fellows, and those who cannot fulfill the attendance requirement will be asked to reconsider their participation in the program.

Upon acceptance, the full cost of a Squared Fellow’s participation is completely covered (the value of the program is estimated to be $2000/student). In addition to program funding, Fellows will also receive a monthly grocery stipend, SD2 swag, and other perks!

There is no minimum GPA to apply. An applicant’s GPA is just one aspect of their overall application, where the stronger preference is the applicant’s curiosity and/or motivation in STEM.

Applications for our Spring 2023 cohort close on January 15th, 2023 at 11:59 PM Pacific time. Students will be notified at the end of February on their acceptance status.

Cohorts of the Squared Fellows Program will include 25-30 STEM-enthusiastic and STEM-interested students from throughout San Diego County.

If you’re not accepted into the fall or spring cohort, you’re still eligible to be part of the following cohort. Seniors who are not accepted into the spring cohort are not eligible to apply again as the Squared Fellows Program is for 10th-12th graders. We encourage you to apply for our Squared Scholars or Squared Interns program, which are meant for college students.

All STEM-enthusiastic (and STEM-interested) students can apply for the Squared Fellows Program. You don’t have to have perfect grades, but you do need to have a sincere interest in STEM!

It’s hard to know exactly what you want to do when you grow up. The Squared Fellows Program is for STEM enthusiastic and STEM interested students who want to get a better understanding of what a career in STEM could look like. If this sounds like you, we think you should apply!

The Squared Fellows program will be a mix of virtual and on-site sessions. An exciting part of the program is the rotational STEM site visits, during which all State mandated COVID-19 precautions will be observed. Transportation is required and is the responsibility of the student (drop-off, carpool, bus, ride share, etc.). SD2 will cover the cost of any transportation needs.

The SD2 Team will be observing all State mandated COVID-19 precautions in order to keep students, parents, mentors, staff, and industry partners safe. Up-to-date COVID-19 guidelines will be provided prior to every on-site or in person session.

Rotational site visits will occur at a variety of STEM companies located throughout San Diego County. Exact locations will be provided during program orientation along with transportation details.

Transportation to and from all in-person sessions is the responsibility of the student. SD2 will work very closely with each Fellow to ensure they have an available transportation option so that transportation is not a barrier to participation, including funding any transportation needs (ride share, carpool gas, etc.).

From executives to mid-level professionals, SD2 Mentors all come from diverse backgrounds and are working in a STEM-related field. They are background checked, trained, and excited to give their time and talent to help build your career in STEM!