Promoting Engagement in Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Sciences

Utah Valley University, Orem UT

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 Utah Valley University (UVU). UVU is the largest institution of higher education in Utah, the fastest growing state in the union. UVU is also an open-admissions institution with a diverse student population. Over its 6-year duration, this project will fund scholarships to at least 40 unique full-time students who are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in the physical sciences, including Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics. Scholarships of up to $7,500 for up to 4 years will be awarded, supplemented by funding to support original research and professional development. Faculty mentoring, undergraduate research opportunities and significant career preparation will enhance the retention and preparation of scholars throughout the scholarship duration. In collaboration with mentors, scholars will create an individual development plan mapping their career goals and the steps needed to achieve those goals. An emphasis will also be placed on cohort-building activities, which will foster the expansion of a supportive community of physical science scholars at UVU. This project will provide the resources and support to expand the diversity, capacity, and capability of the physical science programs at UVU, placing the institution in a better position to address the increasing need for highly trained STEM graduates in Utah and beyond. The overall goal of this project is to increase STEM degree completion of low-income, high-achieving undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. There are three specific objectives: 1) promote student success for academically promising low-income students in the physical sciences; 2) prepare students for post-graduate education and careers; and 3) increase STEM enrollment. Several attrition points have been identified at UVU and are known to hinder student progress in STEM pathways. It is essential that interventions continue to be refined and critical that the project focus on evaluating strategies that improve outcomes for students from groups that have been historically underrepresented in STEM fields, especially as it pertains to graduation and future employment. This project will analyze student outcomes which, when combined with survey and interview responses, will inform the efficacy of educational interventions like scholarship programs, mentorship, and undergraduate research. Through longitudinal evaluation, the project also aims to advance understanding of the overall efficacy of a mentor-based scholarship program at an open-admission university. Results of this project will be made available to the STEM community through social media, professional conferences, and publications in STEM education journals. 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.