Why Entrepreneurs In Residence (EIR) Programs Can Help U.S. To Retain STEM Graduates

For many years, U.S.-based enterprises have suffered a shortage of high skilled workers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields. As the U.S. Chamber of Commerce affirmed in an article from last year: "the number of jobs requiring substantial STEM expertise has grown nearly 34% over the past decade."¹ At the same time, there is a significant pool of STEM talent that the U.S. is at risk of losing due to limitations placed on them for obtaining employment after graduation. The Institute of International Education's annual census of international students in the U.S. for the 2022-23 academic year showed that the U.S. hosted over one million students from over 210 countries around the globe. Approximately 40% of these students were enrolled in master's, doctorate, or professional degree programs in the U.S. Further, the majority of international students studied in STEM fields.²