Louis Stokes B2B Alliance: Harris County Community College Alliance (HCCCA)

San Jacinto College District, Pasadena TX

Investigators

Abstract

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to diversify the STEM workforce. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies, and relevant educational experiences in support of racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Native Pacific Islanders. These strategies facilitate the production of well-prepared students highly-qualified and motivated to pursue graduate education or careers in STEM. For the United States to remain globally competitive, it is vital that it taps into the talent of all its citizens and provides exceptional educational preparedness in STEM areas that underpin the knowledge-based economy. The Harris County Community College Alliance (HCCCA), consisting of two public, associate-degree granting, Hispanic Serving two-year institutions (San Jacinto College and Houston Community College), was formed in response to the need for a more diverse and skilled technical workforce. That need still exists and is particularly acute in the state of Texas. HCCCA will build on research-based models which have proven successful in increasing the number of underrepresented community college students who transfer to four-year institutions in a STEM discipline. This focus supports the National Science Foundation's strategic goal to "cultivate a world-class, broadly inclusive science and engineering workforce, and expand the scientific literacy of all citizens." In support of the focus, the Alliance will engage students in STEM exposure, first-year peer mentoring, faculty mentoring, competitive summer research and internship opportunities, an annual research symposium, STEM seminar series, and dedicated social media sites to help facilitate the social cohesion critical for community college students to form their academic identify. In support of the transfer goal, the alliance will use mapping, or guided pathways, with clearly identified educational and career goals, to provide easier transitions to four-year institutions. In addition, a pipeline will be created that uses alumni LSAMP students already at the transfer institution to help receive the new transfer students and establish a new Community of Scholars at the university. 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.