Supporting Talented, Low-Income Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Chemistry and Biochemistry through Career Explorations, Research Experiences, and Scholarships

Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro TN

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 in chemistry with demonstrated financial need at Middle Tennessee State University, a public research university in Murfreesboro, TN. Over its six-year duration, this project will fund scholarships for up to 60 unique Master of Science (MS) students, and up to 90 full time junior and senior students who are pursuing Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees in Chemistry or Biochemistry. The project aims to increase student persistence in STEM fields by linking scholarships with proven effective supporting activities, including faculty and peer mentoring, research experiences, professional development courses, graduate school and employment preparation, and participation in discipline-specific conferences. With the help of mentors and advisors, scholars will create individual plans for career goals and steps toward achieving those goals. Opportunities to engage with faculty mentors, peer mentors, and professional advisors will allow scholars to find support as they navigate professional, social, and financial challenges. Project research and evaluation activities will explore the impact of the project’s mentoring, engagement, and scholar support components on academic outcomes and career directions for low-income students. The overall goal of the project is to increase timely degree completion for low-income, high-achieving BS and MS students with demonstrated financial need. The specific aims of the project are to deliver high impact scientific and professional development opportunities to scholars. Undergraduate scholars will be encouraged to select two credits of research per year or engage in (paid) summer research; and graduate scholars will participate in research leading to a successful thesis. Networking with industry professionals and alumni, interacting with employers at career fairs, and participating in seminars, literature discussions, and other departmental events will also be encouraged. The project team will collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative research data on academic success, student engagement, and self-efficacy to explore strategies to support low income and underrepresented scholars as they prepare for their future careers. An independent evaluation effort will assess the effectiveness of the project at meeting the evolving needs of scholars and, along with project research, contribute to the broad dissemination of activities, findings, and outcomes. 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.