Keystone Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program

Millersville University, Millersville PA

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 in order 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: Blacks and African Americans, Hispanic and Latino 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. The need for cultivating STEM talent has been well established. 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 Keystone Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation STEM Pathways Implementation-Only project is comprised of four of the ten Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) institutions: East Stroudsburg University, Millersville University (lead), Slippery Rock University, and West Chester University. The goal of the project is to increase recruitment and retention of students from LSAMP populations, and ultimately increase STEM B. S. degrees and entry into graduate STEM programs. To accomplish this project goals, the Alliance will build new strength in areas of recruitment and retention while improving on existing strengths alliance wide. Specific strategies include annual two to three-week summer bridge programs for entering students, Alliance specific curriculum and co-curricular activities, recurring multi-cohort summer programs focused on research preparation for future research experiences for undergraduates or internship opportunities, preparation for work or graduate school, formative evaluation for continuous improvement, and summative evaluation to show impact. Overall, the Keystone alliance addresses a variety of NSF goals, specifically (1) increasing participation in STEM for students from underrepresented groups in STEM, (2) improving STEM education by integrating inclusive curriculum, increasing public engagement through community-based, civic engagement projects, and (3) building a strong partnership of alliance institutions to better collaborate and cooperate in the PASSHE diversity, equity and inclusion action plan for developing highly competitive STEM professionals for the nation's workforce. 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.