Tampa Bay Scholarships for Education & Employment Development in STEM (SEEDS)

St. Petersburg College, Clearwater FL

Investigators

Abstract

St. Petersburg College is providing scholarship support to help increase the number of economically disadvantaged students who complete STEM degrees and proceed to join the scientific workforce. The project will help 80 participants to take part in an employment-centered curriculum that includes job shadowing and internships, while at the same time providing them with integrated academic and career advising, access to tutoring centers, a project-specific orientation, and career mentoring. A unique feature of the project is a "road map to graduation" plan that each student makes in concert with Campus Faculty Champions who will also act as recruiters, mentors, and activity coordinators. The road map will help students to identify curricular goals, determine when and if they should use academic support services, and make plans to investigate STEM careers. In order to broaden participation, students are recruited through local high schools and the Pinellas Education Foundation with an emphasis on inclusion of women, students from under-represented racial/ethnic groups, and veterans. Data generated through assessment and evaluation is expected to support the rationale that when students participate in faculty-guided decision-making and have substantive industrial experiences they are retained in STEM majors and are more likely to matriculate into four-year college or choose STEM careers. Formative and summative evaluation focuses on measurable outcomes (% retention and graduation), the impact on curricular changes, and the extent of industry/faculty/student interactions. Student enrollment records, placement test scores, course grades, graduation and demographic information are tracked. Dissemination of the project results provides a model for improving retention through multidisciplinary support and intensive planning. The project team plans to present their work at meetings of the Florida Academy of Science, the Florida Chapter of Mathematics Association of America, and the League for Innovation in the Community College among others. Project deliverables include the results of summative evaluation and initiatives to address the local STEM industry workforce needs by educating and training a skilled STEM workforce.