Weaving Professional Skill Development and Workplace Psychology Training into Undergraduate STEM Curricula to Increase Success in College and the Workforce

Cal Poly Pomona Foundation, Inc., Pomona CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project focuses on increasing retention, graduation, and career success of high achieving, low income STEM undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. Throughout its five years, the project will fund 125 fellowships in five groups of 25 students to support attainment of bachelor's degrees in Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computer Science, Geological Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics, or Physics & Astronomy. The curricula of these STEM majors are designed to provide a strong background in the principles of discovery and analytical thinking, as well as extensive knowledge of a STEM field. Although this knowledge and skills are essential to success in the STEM workforce, they are not enough. To address this issue, the project plans to develop strong STEM leaders by weaving professional skills development, with workplace psychology and equity training, into the STEM curriculum. The region is experiencing rapid high-tech industrial growth. In addition, individuals from groups that have been historically under-represented in the STEM fields will soon represent most of the population. Consequently, this project has the potential to serve as a pipeline of workforce-ready graduates into the region's STEM workforce, including biotechnology, computer science, and engineering industries. This project has three objectives: (1) promote the engagement and retention of low socio-economic scholars in the sciences through the award of scholarships; (2) integrate sector-specific career skills into the training of scholars with an eye toward exceeding workplace expectations in industry and academia on completion of their BS degrees; and (3) minimize attrition of students within the STEM workforce by incorporating workplace psychology workshops that teach individuals how to navigate less hospitable work environments and establish an equitable workplace. Qualified students of all backgrounds will be eligible for scholarship support, with expanded efforts to recruit and support under-represented minorities, women in science, and first-generation scholars. The activities and resources created by the training program will be available to all STEM undergraduate and graduate students across the university. This Design and Development project is funded by the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future scientists, engineers, and technicians, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.