STARS: Science and Technology Academicians on the Road to Success

Norfolk State University, Norfolk VA

Investigators

Abstract

Norfolk State University will implement "Science and Technology Academicians on the Road to Success" (STARS), a robust program encompassing undergraduate recruitment, pre-entrance preparation, advising, mentorship, research, and curricula enhancement to address the low graduation rates of students of historically underrepresented groups. Project activities are based on the hypothesis that providing students an environment that ties all the components of student success into a coherent path with a clear purpose will significantly increase success rates in STEM disciplines. STARS will first provide faculty training on advising, mentoring and teaching and learning best practices and opportunities to enhance and/or initiate research endeavors; second, it will merge recruitment, pre-entrance preparation, advising, and mentorship efforts to create a seamless environment, and third, it will provide students superior advising, interdisciplinary research mentoring and exciting ways to learn. STARS will provide a coherent undergraduate student experience, which will result in a significant increase of the success rate of STEM students. STAR Objectives: double STEM graduates attending graduate school in 5 years; provide STEM students a seamless environment of recruitment, pre-entrance preparation, advising, mentorship, and research; provide experiential learning experiences to 90% of the STEM graduates where students develop independent research skills. implement teaching and learning approaches such as: Inquiry Based Learning, Peer Instruction, and Cooperative Learning to promote student learning.