Enhancing Resources to Recruit and Support Students in Mathematics and Computer Science

该项目将现有的STEM人才扩展计划(STEP)拨款与CSEMS拨款相结合，为计算机科学和数学专业的学生建立密集的招聘和保留计划。该计划的目标是：增加主修数学和计算机科学的学生，特别是来自代表人数不足的组别的学生的人数；提供足够的支援，使学生在毕业后仍留在主修该专业的学生；以及教育学生有关计算机科学和数学的就业机会，为他们投身工作作好准备。为达致首两个目标，政府每年向主修数学或计算机科学的新生提供8个每年3,125元的奖学金，并向这些专业的非一年级学生提供10个每年2,000元的奖学金。奖学金发放给在经济上有需要的学生，这些学生在学科上表现出潜力。虽然获得3125美元奖学金的学生在泽维尔大学的所有四年里都能维持他们的资助，但只要他们作为专业在学术上保持良好的地位，获得较小奖学金的人必须每年重新申请。第三个目标是通过加强STEM职业接触系列来实现，该系列的部分资金由STEP赠款提供。每年，工业界的演讲者都会被邀请向专业一年级的学生和地区高中的潜在新人发表演讲。CSEMS的资金正被用来从辛辛那提以外的地方引进一位全国知名的人作为这些演讲者之一。在这些活动中，智力价值的主要领域是将STEP和CSEMS赠款独特地结合在一起，形成一个完美整合的招聘和保留计划。虽然STEP计划为数学和计算机科学专业的学生提供了支持的基础设施，特别是在关键的第一年，但CSEMS赠款提供奖学金来帮助招收和留住这些学生。泽维尔非常适合进行这一全面的计划。凭借NSF的五项主要有效拨款，泽维尔证明了其致力于创建创新的课程，并促进其教职员工和学生进行高质量的研究。此外，泽维尔的数学和计算机科学系为其所有专业提供个性化的帮助和支持性的学习环境。在这些活动中产生更广泛影响的主要领域是，在征聘活动中重点关注任职人数不足的群体。这包括计算机科学和数学领域的少数群体以及计算机科学领域的女性。特别是，拥有大量非裔美国人或女性人口的高中被邀请参加职业暴露系列活动，并优先向这些学生提供奖学金。第二个影响更广泛的领域是为学生参加会议提供资金。这鼓励学生参与研究，并参与各自领域的专业协会。最后，职业曝光计划中的演讲者被选为提供各种工作经验的演讲者。尤其是，泽维尔邀请在计算机科学和数学方面的工作为社会带来积极变化的演讲者。

This project is combining an existing STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP) grant with a CSEMS grant to build an intensive recruitment and retention program for computer science and mathematics majors. The objectives of the project are: To increase the number of students majoring in mathematics and computer science, particularly those from underrepresented groups; To provide adequate support so that students remain in the majors through graduation; and To educate students about career opportunities in computer science and mathematics in order to prepare them to enter the workforce.To achieve the first two objectives, eight scholarships of $3,125 are being offered annually to incoming, first-year students in mathematics or computer science and 10 scholarships of $2,000 are being offered annually to non-first-year students in the majors. The scholarships are being given to students with financial need who show promise in the disciplines. While students receiving the $3,125 scholarships maintain their funding through all four years at Xavier, as long as they stay in good academic standing as majors, recipients of the smaller scholarships must reapply every year. The third objective is being met by enhancing a STEM career exposure series, partially funded by the STEP grant. Each year, speakers from industry are invited to address gatherings of first-year majors and potential recruits from area high schools. CSEMS funding is being used to bring in a nationally known person from outside of Cincinnati as one of these speakers. The primary area of intellectual merit in these activities is the unique combination of the STEP and CSEMS grants into a well-integrated recruitment and retention plan. While the STEP program provides an infrastructure of support for mathematics and computer science majors, especially in the crucial first year, the CSEMS grant provides scholarships to help recruit and retain these students. Xavier is well suited to conduct this comprehensive program. With five major active NSF grants, Xavier has demonstrated its commitment to creating innovative curricula and promoting quality research by its faculty and students. Furthermore, Xavier's mathematics and computer science department provides personalized assistance and a supportive learning environment for all of its majors. The main area of broader impact in these activities is the focus on underrepresented groups in recruitment activities. This includes minorities in computer science and mathematics as well as women in computer science. In particular, high schools with large African American or female populations are being invited to the career exposure series and preference for scholarships are given to these students. A second area of broader impact is the funding of student travel to conferences. This encourages students to participate in research and to become involved in the professional societies in their respective fields. Finally, the speakers in the career exposure program are chosen to provide a variety of experiences from the workplace. In particular, Xavier invites speakers whose work in computer science and mathematics has brought about positive changes in society.