Hope in the Heartland: The Carver Bridge to STEM Success Program

Simpson College, Indianola IA

Investigators

Abstract

This NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at Simpson College located in Indianola, Iowa will contribute to the national effort to produce more STEM graduates by establishing a cohort of 15 academically talented and Pell-eligible students. Scholars will receive academic support while they pursue degrees in actuarial science, computer science, mathematics, or physics. They will participate in a variety of enrichment activities such as (a) a one-week bridge program prior to their freshman year, (b) a mentored relationship with leaders from local industry, (c) a first semester computational modeling colloquium, (d) and a one-credit course on solving industry-generated problems provided by their mentors. Scholarships for academically strong STEM students, who may not otherwise be able to afford college, have an impact on the number of graduates prepared to help national, regional, and local companies. The project goals are well-defined and the methods outlined for achieving them are scaffolded to maximize student learning. Activities like Campus connect (a first year orientation for skill building, including early exposure to computational modelling and writing), the Simpson Colloquium (a course that builds on modelling skills with real-world problems), and the Bridge to Success course are grounded in the literature and should lead to high academic achievement and retention of the participants. The project will be evaluated on four criteria, Scholar GPA, participation in internships, first to second year retention, and placement in STEM graduate programs or careers upon graduation. The evaluator will gauge the evolution of the scholars' perception of STEM careers through the Views About Science Survey at the beginning and end of the project. Thus, project performance will be compared to national standards. Students will also be surveyed about all aspects of the project. Summative evaluation will rely on an analysis of the data in aggregate. Results will be disseminated internally via faculty development workshops. They will also be presented at appropriate regional venues including the Joint Mathematics Meeting and MathFest and at American Association of Physics Teachers, American Physical Society, Council on Undergraduate Research national meetings. This effort is expected to add to the knowledge base on development of recruitment and retention strategies for science and mathematics majors.