Promoting STEM Student Success through Individualized Coaching and Interdisciplinary Community

Community College District 502, Glen Ellyn IL

Investigators

Abstract

The College of DuPage (COD) STEM Student Success program will provide targeted STEM student support through the use of STEM learning communities, undergraduate research and individualized academic assistance to improve persistence among undergraduate students. COD will award scholarships to approximately 56 students to complete a two-year program for graduation or transfer in either Chemistry, Physics, or Engineering - programs chosen for their academic rigor, extensive use of math, and existing research partnerships with four-year institutions and national laboratories. A STEM Student Success Coach will provide individual, cohort, program-specific, and interdisciplinary guidance as a cost-effective way of addressing attrition in STEM disciplines at the community college level. Program objectives are to (1) Increase the number of financially needy and academically talented students who graduate or transfer in a STEM program; and to (2) Improve the retention and completion rates of STEM students through individualized and group support systems. Enhanced educational opportunities exist through the leveraging of college resources, including partnerships with four-year institutions and national laboratories for research internships, collaboration with industry advisory boards to share STEM career paths, discussions featuring STEM professionals, and more. Both formative and summative evaluations will allow the project team to assess all components of the program on an ongoing basis. Quantitative/qualitative data will inform program decisions, resulting in a replicable model, disseminated through a variety of professional outlets. The result will be a model of student support services that may be replicated at other two and four year institutions.