In 2017, Howard University launched the Karsh STEM Scholars Program to encourage Black students to pursue a career in STEM research or teaching with the contingency of pursuing an M.D. or Ph.D. at an institution. The Historically Black College and University program offers full scholarships to its students and fosters an environment where students will receive mentorship and peer support, which is often an area Black students fail to receive from other institutions. According to a 2021 Wiley Report, surveying 2,000 young adults, 44 percent of them credited their pursuit in STEM to encouragement from their college.