A Fast Track Scholars Program to Support STEM Student Persistence

Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, Dublin CA

Investigators

Abstract

With funding from the NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, the Chabot MESA Fast Track Scholars Program will support high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Chabot College. Throughout its 5 years, this project will fund 80 scholarships for students who are pursuing associate degrees or intend to transfer to a baccalaureate degree in the STEM disciplines of biological sciences, computer science, engineering, mathematics and/or physical sciences. Each Scholar will receive: an individualized education plan with follow-up and academic monitoring services; priority enrollment for Fast Track accelerated transfer math courses (a compressed course of gatekeeper transfer-level math courses); STEM supplemental instruction (SI) and tutoring; one-on-one faculty mentoring; enrichment activities including college and industry tours, social events and STEM student clubs; and priority consideration for internship opportunities. The Chabot MESA Fast Track Scholars Program supports students through challenging attrition points on their STEM pathway, including the gateway transfer-level mathematics course sequence. Community colleges have a critical role to play in increasing STEM degree attainment by students traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. Long course sequences in mathematics can be a barrier to timely completion of the degree. Thus, the reform of such course sequences in mathematics, to improve both time to completion and rate of completion, is of great significance both statewide and nationally. Project goals focus on improving student success by: 1) increasing Fast Track math course success; 2) increasing persistence in students' STEM major; 3) increasing the percentage of STEM students who earn an AA/AS degree and/or transfer; and 4) decreasing the amount of time to earn a degree and/or transfer to a baccalaureate STEM degree program. A comparative research study will examine the effect of Fast Track courses on math course success, retention, and timely STEM degree/transfer attainment over the 5-year project period when compared to students enrolled in the traditional mathematics sequence. This project will investigate factors that decrease attrition rates of STEM majors including challenging transfer-level math courses. The study will also advance the understanding of whether accelerated math sequences contribute to decreasing time to degree/transfer completion with the potential to inform the scaling up of these accelerated courses at other community colleges. 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.