Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Indiana - Phase II

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

The LSAMP Indiana program was established in 2003, uniting Purdue West Lafayette, Purdue Calumet, IUPUI, Ball State, and Indiana University Bloomington in their goal to increase the number of underrepresented minority students earning baccalaureates degrees in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). As a Phase I program, LSAMP Indiana successfully established a longitudinal education consortium specifically designed to increase students' motivation and commitment to STEM fields. Within three years, 589 underrepresented minority students earned bachelor's degrees in the STEM fields through LSAMP Indiana. Most importantly, however, is that Phase I established a foundation of effective programs -particularly undergraduate research with faculty mentorship - that will be expanded and optimized during Phase II. As a Phase II program, LSAMP Indiana's goal is to expand our proven methods to triple the number of baccalaureate degrees earned by LSAMP Indiana participants within 5 years. LSAMP Indiana will achieve this goal by fulfilling the following objectives: (1) Expanding the LSAMP Indiana Alliance by three campuses, from five to eight primary members, and adding Ivy Tech Community College as a collaborative partner; (2) Expanding the Phase I Summer Transition and Academic Research (STAR) Program, which helps 1st and 2nd year students, to the three new Phase II partners; (3) Incorporating the Phase I Supplemental Instruction program into a new, more comprehensive program known as the Supplemental Higher Academic Retention Program (SHARP) Initiative, emphasizing undergraduate research and faculty mentoring that is complemented by Learning Communities, peer tutoring, and professional development activities; (4) Enhancing the Alliance's coordination and development programs to maximize collaboration and effectiveness. By fulfilling these objectives, LSAMP will continually expand the number of students served and retained, resulting in an annual yield of 457 baccalaureate degree recipients by 2012. Intellectual Merit: In Phase I, LSAMP Indiana has established a flexible and effective framework of braided programs that are now poised for growth. Of the 33 matriculated LSAMP Indiana participants who conducted undergraduate research with a faculty mentor during Phase I, 100% earned their STEM bachelor's degree and are now either continuing their education or pursuing a STEM-related career. This hands-on experience enables each LSAMP student to better identify with their STEM field by developing friends within the field and understanding laboratory detailed research methods. The Phase II program will build upon this success as well as reinforce it with other proven programs - such as Learning Communities and Peer Mentoring -creating an education continuum that spans from rising first-year students to senior year undergraduate researchers. The comprehensive nature of the experiences LSAMP Indiana programs provide will ensure our students develop the lifelong learning skills needed to transform natural curiosity into a successful STEM-related career. Broader Impacts: LSAMP Indiana's most critical broader impact will be significantly expanding the number of underrepresented minority students in the STEM majors and, ultimately, in careers related to the STEM field. In addition, however, the alliance is committed to conducting detailed assessments of our programs and then disseminating the results of our research through conferences, workshops and publications. This research will be relevant to all levels of higher education since Phase II LSAMP Indiana will be comprised of diverse campuses serving a broad range of socioeconomic areas - from rural to urban, from predominantly white to predominantly minority, and from community colleges to PhD-granting institutions. By sharing our research with the entire field, the positive impacts of our Phase II program will extend well beyond the Indiana LSAMP campuses and the tenure of this grant.