HSI Pilot Project: The 13th Credit Pilot Project

Cuny Bronx Community College, Bronx NY

Investigators

Abstract

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 1 Pilot Project aims to develop and test a novel approach to retain undergraduate students who are at-risk of academic failure in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) studies. To train the next-generation STEM workforce in the numbers needed to meet projected demand, it is critical that we find ways to keep academically at-risk students on track to complete their studies. This is especially true for the 96% of CUNY Bronx Community College (BCC) students who are students of color: Hispanic and Black students are more likely to switch out of STEM majors, drop out of STEM courses, and/or leave college altogether. The 13th Credit Pilot Project builds on a First Year Seminar program with evidence of effectiveness and refocuses it on STEM success for underrepresented students at-risk of academic failure as part of a comprehensive package of interventions (e.g., Course-based Research Experiences, faculty mentoring, peer mentoring, and cohort development). In doing so, it may provide a blueprint for other colleges struggling to improve outcomes. The 13th Credit Pilot Project includes a research component that examines to what extent the provision of robust, rigorous science enrichment, usually available only to the highest-performing students, affects the outcomes of Hispanic students, students of color, and students from low-income households who are at-risk academically. Project implementation is expected to increase students’ GPA, credit accumulation, persistence in college, persistence in STEM majors, graduation from college, and graduation with STEM degrees. The PI will share findings across the College to foster further expansion and development of the model. Additionally, the PI will share findings at NSF project director meetings, annual CUNY conferences, professional conferences such as the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and League for Innovation in Community Colleges, and in professional journals, as well as disseminating materials on a BCC website. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI. Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims. 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.