Comprehensive Enhancement of STEM programs at SUSLA

Southern University At Shreveport, Shreveport LA

Investigators

Abstract

Southern University at Shreveport (SUSLA) requested support for an HBCU-UP implementation award aimed at supporting the institutional mission of SUSLA: to provide a quality education for its students, while being committed to the total community?. Southern University at Shreveport, Louisiana, is a two year institution with a student body enrollment of approximately 2,400, predominantly African American (90%) and predominantly female (76%). The HBCU-UP project is designed to strengthen STEM teaching and research to improve retention of undergraduates and strengthen their academic preparation. Strategies include: i) Course and curriculum reform and enhancement through the incorporation of advances in science and engineering knowledge and research based teaching and learning; ii) faculty professional development; iii) supervised research and active learning experiences for STEM undergraduates in research laboratories and other institutions during the summer; iv) infusion of technology into research and teaching; and v) critical transition activities for student recruitment and retention in STEM disciplines. Course and curricular reform will focus on gate-keeper courses. The revisions will enhance entry-level lab/research exercises, supported by updated equipment and teaching activities. In addition, through the HBCU-UP project, SUSLA will obtain technology resources to be used to update and enhance the teaching methodology. The courses impacted will include biology, chemistry, computer science, electronics technology and mathematics. Faculty support will include release time for mentoring of students, support for research and support for participation in scientific meetings. This project will benefit from strong partnerships aimed at enriching the research experiences for the undergraduate students. SUSLA has partnerships with other academic institutions and private companies, through which students will receive research training, a new activity at this two-year institution. Partnerships with secondary schools will strengthen recruitment efforts through a summer research program for high school students. Underlying the strategies presented is the focus on high school to undergraduate transition, and associate-baccalaureate-graduate school transitions. The activities aimed at these transition points will be implemented through partnerships with other funded programs, including the LS AMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation) and the LSAMP Bridges programs, also funded by the National Science Foundation.