Planning Project to Establish a Cohesive Community College STEM Institutional Transformation Academy - STEM-UP Academy

Hinds Community College-Utica, Raymond MS

Investigators

Abstract

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) provides support for the design, implementation, and assessment of strategies that can lead to comprehensive institutional efforts to increase the number of students receiving undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and enhance the quality of their preparation by strengthening STEM education and research. The project at Hinds Community College - Utica seeks to establish the foundation for a "Cohesive Community College STEM Institutional Transformation Academy". The goals of the project are: to establish summer bridge programs, to strengthen the 2-year STEM curriculum at the college, and to facilitate entrance of students into 4-year STEM programs. Activities that are part of this project are: meetings with the advisory boards and partnering school districts and universities for planning purposes; faculty development and training in redesigning of science, mathematics, and computer science courses; a two- week summer pre-college bridge program for rising 11th graders; a five-week summer pre-college component for entering STEM freshman; and collaborations with partnering 4-year institutions, such as Jackson State University and Alcorn University. The project will be guided by an on-going evaluation.