BPC-DP: CSTEP: Computer Science TransfEr Programs

University Of South Florida, Tampa FL

Investigators

Abstract

The University of South Florida (USF) together with Hillsborough Community College (HCC) proposes a series of coordinated programs designed to broaden the participation of Hispanic as well as other underrepresented minority students in computing. The proposed programs will establish the educational pathway and provide the support that students need to make successful transitions at critical points in their educational journey from the community college to the baccalaureate level and from the baccalaureate to the graduate level. The programs are built upon the strengths of the partnering institutions: HCC?s successful personalized advising, mentoring, and tracking initiatives and USF?s research experience with undergraduates are utilized as recruiting, retention, and enhancement tools. A personalized advising service and two summer programs combining research and academic courses are proposed to recruit, retain, and prepare community college students on their path toward 4-yr universities. The advising service will track students very closely to make sure they take and continue in the chosen path. The academic courses, with an important programming and math component, will allow the transfer students to meet the academic requirements for admission to the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at USF. The research component will pave the way for them to participate in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs later on. These summer programs will be designed and implemented by USF and HCC professors, creating a new learning community that will extend to HCC classrooms on a permanent basis. USF?s REU programs for juniors and seniors will be utilized to help transfer students graduate and prepare them for graduate school and the work force. These research programs are also meant to create a learning community among these students, and the graduate students and professors at USF.