NSF Award
1565018
This National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota will provide scholarships for talented, low-income students pursuing bachelor's degrees in the sciences and mathematics. In addition to scholarships, the program will provide academic support to increase the persistence of academically talented, low-income students. Project efforts will include a study of the means of improving the second-year experience of STEM students and a focus on increasing the number of STEM faculty with direct expertise in fostering the success of those STEM students from low-income backgrounds that are at risk for non-completion of STEM degrees. The results of this project will be applicable to other institutions that do not require students to declare a major until the end of the sophomore year and are seeking to improve the retention of students in STEM programs. Scholarships and support for academically strong students, who may not otherwise be able to afford college, will help to produce a well-trained workforce that will contribute to the economic vitality of Minnesota and the nation.<br/><br/>The project builds on several existing initiatives at Carleton and introduces additional effective students support practices targeted at areas expected to be particularly critical to student success. The project will refine and evaluate current first-year cohort strategies in support of student learning, student sense of belonging, and student drive to succeed in STEM. A year-long civic-engagement research project will be implemented for students in the sophomore year. The effect of this research participation on student attitudes will be evaluated. For students in the junior and senior years, opportunities for teaching-as-learning will be implemented. The project activities will also enlarge the pool of Carleton STEM faculty with direct expertise in fostering the success of STEM students from low-income backgrounds. This project will advance understanding of: the effect of first-year and second-year engaged-learning research projects on student perseverance and success in introductory courses; the effect of the second-year STEM civic-engagement research and advising on student choice of STEM major; and the impact of faculty advising and mentoring of students as well as faculty design of introductory courses. The evaluation of the student's sophomore-year experience will be of particular value to colleges in which students declare majors at the end of the second year. The lessons learned that emerge from the program will be disseminated widely to the STEM education community and help increase understanding of the attributes and practices of successful student scholarship and support programs.
