'Start Right' Program in Computer Science, Engineering & Mathematics

近年来，NSF已经认识到社区学院现在在国家高等教育系统中扮演的关键角色。参与该项目的学院在副学士学位水平的科学教育方面是公认的领导者，并一直提供计算机科学、工程和数学方面的高质量课程。对1994-97年间回复率非常高的CSEM毕业生进行的年度调查显示，超过95%的人找到了工作，注册了四年制IHES，或两者兼而有之。该项目的目标是增加学术上有天赋但经济上处于不利地位的人的数量，特别是黑人、拉丁裔和女性，他们进入CSEM副学士学位课程并完成全日制学位，为CSEM职业生涯和进一步高等教育做准备。该项目利用扩大的奖学金机会、特别招聘努力和提供辅助服务的支持网络相结合，1)将少数族裔和多数CSEM学生之间的三年成功率差距分阶段缩小三分之二，2)分阶段将CSEM专业女性专业的三年毕业率从1991-95年IPEDS平均水平提高25%，3)在1994-98年间每个群体的IPEDS平均数的基础上，将种族/族裔少数群体和妇女分阶段录取为首次全日制CSEM学生的人数增加25%。这项“正确起步”计划的一个显著特点是，合作伙伴社区机构充当与附近城镇黑人和拉丁裔聚居社区的“纽带”，在招聘方面提供帮助，并作为以邻里为基础的支持站点。项目负责人设想了一个辅导连续体，将学院目前的努力与这些机构运营的项目联系起来，电子邮件是增加导师和CSEM学生之间联系的关键工具。他们希望在这些机构建立在线前哨，为家长举办研讨会和其他活动，并作为辅导、同行辅导和拼车网站。

In recent years, NSF has recognized the key role that community colleges now play in the nation's system of higher education. The college involved in this project is an established leader in associate degree level science education and has been offering quality programs in Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics. Annual surveys of CSEM graduates from 1994-97 with very high response rates indicate that over 95% were employed, enrolled in 4-year IHEs, or both.The goal of the project is to increase the number of academically talented but financially disadvantaged persons, particularly Blacks, Latinos and women, enrolling full-time in CSEM Associate degree programs and completing their degrees as preparation for CSEM careers and further higher education. The project uses a combination of expanded scholarship opportunities, a special recruitment effort, and a support network delivering assistive services to 1) cut the three-year success rate gap between minorities and majority CSEM students in stages by two-thirds and 2) increase the three-year graduation rate for women CSEM majors in stages by 25% from the 1991-95 IPEDS averages, plus 3) increase the number of racial/ethnic minorities and women enrolling as first time full-time CSEM students in stages by 25% from the the 1994-98 IPEDS averages for each group.A distinctive feature of this "Start Right" Program is the partner community agencies serving as "linking pins" to the cluster communities of Blacks and Latinos in nearby towns, providing assistance in recruiting and serving as neighborhood-based support sites. Project directors envision a mentoring continuum linking the college's current efforts to programs run by these agencies, with e-mail being a key tool to increase contact between mentors and CSEM students. They hope to establish Online Outposts at these agencies to host workshops for parents and other events and also to serve as mentoring, peer tutoring and carpool sites.