Supporting Transfers to Reach Educational Aspirations in Math and Science

Fresno Pacific University, Fresno CA

Investigators

Abstract

The Supporting Transfers in Reaching Educational Aspirations in Math and Science (STREAMS) Program at Fresno Pacific University (FPU) will target increasing the number of community college transfer students who obtain science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) baccalaureate degrees and will build on an existing partnership between the university and the College of the Sequoias (COS). STREAMS will identify a diverse population of academically talented community college students with financial need and recruit these students to transfer to math, biology, chemistry, or environmental science program at the university. This project will enhance STEM collaborations between a community college and a four-year institution and increase the number of STEM graduates from populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM including first-generation, Hispanic, and low-income students through recruitment efforts that focus on these groups. In so doing it will increase the number of STEM role models for the younger members of these groups and advance research and practice regarding effective STEM scholarship programs and student support services for transfer students from underrepresented groups. The project will enable the university to continue to develop, apply, evaluate, and advance theories and practices that increase STEM baccalaureate degree attainment among community college transfer students such as articulated transfer agreements, cohort building activities, mentoring, transition-to-university programming, upper-division STEM tutoring, study groups, and graduation guarantees. The university will augment student support structures to ensure that at least 85% of the scholars obtain a baccalaureate degree within two years of transferring to the university. The project will enhance a number of existing student support services as well as services initiated through a collaboration on a Title V Hispanic Serving Institutions grant program targeting STEM students. These enhancements will include the formation of cohorts, two-year Graduation Guarantees for scholars, a special seminar designed for scholars, robust faculty-student mentoring, upper division STEM tutoring, STEM retention strategies, and Supplemental Instruction. It will enable at least 80% of S-STEM scholars to secure employment or enter a graduate program in a STEM field within one year of graduation. STREAMS will better prepare STEM students for the workforce or graduate programs by providing key support services and activities, including one-on-one STEM career counseling, GRE preparation, job shadowing at local STEM businesses, internship and research opportunities, field trips to STEM businesses and graduate schools, and workshops with STEM industry experts.