'Start Right' Program in Computer Science, Engineering & Mathematics

County College Of Morris, Randolph NJ

Investigators

Abstract

In recent years, NSF has recognized the key role that community colleges now play in the nation's system of higher education. The college involved in this project is an established leader in associate degree level science education and has been offering quality programs in Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics. Annual surveys of CSEM graduates from 1994-97 with very high response rates indicate that over 95% were employed, enrolled in 4-year IHEs, or both. The goal of the project is to increase the number of academically talented but financially disadvantaged persons, particularly Blacks, Latinos and women, enrolling full-time in CSEM Associate degree programs and completing their degrees as preparation for CSEM careers and further higher education. The project uses a combination of expanded scholarship opportunities, a special recruitment effort, and a support network delivering assistive services to 1) cut the three-year success rate gap between minorities and majority CSEM students in stages by two-thirds and 2) increase the three-year graduation rate for women CSEM majors in stages by 25% from the 1991-95 IPEDS averages, plus 3) increase the number of racial/ethnic minorities and women enrolling as first time full-time CSEM students in stages by 25% from the the 1994-98 IPEDS averages for each group. A distinctive feature of this "Start Right" Program is the partner community agencies serving as "linking pins" to the cluster communities of Blacks and Latinos in nearby towns, providing assistance in recruiting and serving as neighborhood-based support sites. Project directors envision a mentoring continuum linking the college's current efforts to programs run by these agencies, with e-mail being a key tool to increase contact between mentors and CSEM students. They hope to establish Online Outposts at these agencies to host workshops for parents and other events and also to serve as mentoring, peer tutoring and carpool sites.