The more STEM students that Michigan can attract, train, and retain, the better. With around 32,000 international students enrolled at Michigan colleges and universities, Michigan is home to the 9th largest international student population in the country. Michigan's international students are three times more likely than U.S. students to stay in the state following graduation and are also four times more likely to work in one of the growing number of STEM fields, according to a recent study.

Some of these students, however, have a disruptive business idea and are interested in creating a high-growth startup. These are the companies that grow exponentially, create jobs, raise grant funds, attract angel/venture capital, and cultivate a significant economic development impact. The College of Computing at GVSU is offering new initiatives and programs to create fellowships to attract, train and retain students in critical areas related to Cybersecurity, AI, Data Science and Digital Transformation.