Science to Success: supporting STEM achievement in the Bluegrass

Kentucky Community & Technical College System, Versailles KY

Investigators

Abstract

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Bluegrass Community and Technical College. A total of 45 scholar-scientists pursuing associate’s degrees in environmental science technology, biotechnology, industrial engineering technology, mathematics, computer information technology or computer engineering technology will be receive scholarships and have access to a suite of services in preparation for transfer to baccalaureate institutions or entry into high-demand jobs. Scholars will receive in-depth support from a STEM Coordinator who will oversee cohort-based academic experiences, arrange tutoring and spotlight instruction, and provide insights into campus programs and systems that will benefit scholars as they proceed through their studies. Faculty mentors will engage students in a shared community of practice focused on scientific inquiry and professional networking. Mentors will also provide supplementary instruction and share knowledge to better prepare the scholar-scientists as they advance their careers in their chosen fields. During their two years in the project, cohorts of scholars will be provided opportunities to network, pursue research, and deepen their engagement with course content as they connect with industry and academic professionals in Central Kentucky and elsewhere. The overall goal of this project is to increase STEM degree completion of low-income, high-achieving undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. Low-income students comprise more than half of the college’s population, and a more systematic effort is needed to understand student experiences and the barriers to completing academic requirements. To this end, the project also includes a rigorous evaluation plan that will assess progress toward goals and generate new knowledge related to factors that might impede low-income student success in STEM programs at a community college. Major data sources include interviews, surveys, and group feedback sessions within the learning community seminars. Through participation in the project activities, faculty mentors will learn which practices are most effective in retaining low-income students and will be encouraged to share this knowledge with colleagues to better embed innovations in the college’s approach to teaching and learning. This project is funded by NSF’s 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 STEM workers, 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.