NSF Award
2306647
Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Implementation Projects in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) provide support for ambitious, potentially transformative activities that have the promise of significant advances in undergraduate STEM education at HBCUs. ACE projects create more and varied pathways to success for STEM students by increasing intellectual and evidence-based resources that advance STEM education and research. The DREAM STEM ACE project at North Carolina Central University seeks to enhance STEM learning environments and student learning outcomes through advancing research, instruction, and STEM entrepreneurship. The project focuses on developing competitive, adaptable STEM professionals with strong identities as scientists and skills in leading the new STEM economy. This significant paradigm shift will help sustain student’s interest through matriculation and build their ability to innovate and work in commercializing STEM and STEM careers. <br/><br/>The DREAM STEM ACE project seeks to integrate multiple strategies such as proactive advising, academic support services, calculus and physics bootcamps, learning assistants and peer tutoring, and mentoring for both students and faculty. The integration of STEM skill development and entrepreneurship is designed to help students see themselves as innovators and contributors to the economic landscape. Innovation through design opportunities include research, discovery, and innovation summer institutes (RDI), course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), and problem-based learning (PBL) integration. A Science Innovation Scholar designation will identify those students committed to developing entrepreneurial thinking at an advanced level. The project seeks to grow 3+2 dual degree offerings to include Science and Engineering programs, elevate STEM entrepreneurship in the region and nationally, and increase STEM education research among faculty through learning circles. A STEM education research project will investigate the differences in effect on academic outcomes of STEM students who participate in the different mastery experiences offered by the DREAM ACE Program. The project represents an innovative and holistic approach to increasing retention, completion, and higher degree attainment for HBCU STEM students. This project has potential for far-reaching impacts to students, faculty, the institution, industry partners, and the regional economy.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
