Broadening Opportunities for Biologists by Bridging the Gap for Transfer Students

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK

Investigators

Abstract

Oklahoma State University has received an NSF Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) award for their project entitled The Broadening Opportunities for Biologists by Bridging the Gap for Transfer Students. This project will improve recruitment, retention, and graduation rates for students transferring from 2-year schools and pursuing bachelor's degrees in the life sciences at OSU and will provide 58 two-year scholarships to 29 academically talented and financially disadvantaged students. Program activities will increase interactions within and across cohorts and strengthen the support network and sense of community for S-STEM scholars. S-STEM scholars will receive financial, academic, and professional development support. Academic support will include a peer-led orientation workshop; a 1-credit seminar class focused on career awareness, communication skills, and peer interactions; advising; peer mentoring; and tutoring (including supplemental instruction for courses identified as challenging for S-STEM scholars). Regular checkpoints encourage student participation in academic support services. A diversity of professional development activities will allow scholars to adapt program experiences to their interests, needs, and schedules. Professional development activities will focus on career awareness, job search strategies, and balancing professional and family life, as well as optional internships, research projects, professional society meetings, graduate school related activities, and outreach opportunities. Visits to previous (graduated) S-STEM scholars in graduate school and at job sites will provide direct connections to future careers. Other support services will include group-building activities before the start of the academic year so incoming students can build connections with current S-STEM scholars, as well as informal, family friendly activities. Project evaluation will focus on formative and summative assessment with qualitative and quantitative data collected from multiple sources to assess recruitment, retention, and graduation rates, as well as student experiences in and perceptions about the S-STEM program. Overall, the project will provide information on the resources needed by students to overcome barriers faced in the transfer from a two-year institution to a four-year school and on the support that will enable them to complete a B.S. and be prepared for the STEM workforce or graduate school.