STEM Focused Engagement of Undecided Students

该项目旨在增加STEM学科的入学、毕业、深造和/或寻求职业生涯的学生人数。科学、技术、工程和数学学院(STEM)继续探索在招生、教学、动手实验室和研究经验、指导以及其他一些针对STEM专业的学术强化计划方面的改进策略。“犹豫不决”是增加进入STEM专业和在学院获得STEM学位的学生数量的宝贵、充足和未得到充分利用的资源。犹豫不决的学生是指进入学院时没有申报专业的学生，他们中的许多人对STEM有着真正的兴趣和好奇心，但选择其他专业的比例为75%。由于在环境中没有有组织的努力让犹豫不决的人了解STEM的奇迹、挑战、奖励、成就感和职业的多样性，该项目正在实施一种创新的招聘方法。此外，为了帮助确保STEM新兵的成功入学并提高所有STEM专业的整体留存率，一项侧重于提高科学和数学技能并增强STEM整体体验的计划正在进行中。该项目代表了STEM管理人员、系主任、学科协调员、教职员工和高年级学生的共同努力。此外，这一努力是与本尼迪克特大学学生支持服务单位合作提出的。智力优势：该项目包括以下战略，以促进更多的学生攻读和获得STEM学位：(1)获得STEM学位？一项针对尚未确定的专业的全年招聘计划，向他们介绍STEM职业生涯的兴奋和好处；(2)STEM成功单位。具有凝聚力的混合单元设计，集成了教师指导和建议、点对点指导和辅导以及团队建设，以促进学生成功并为每一位STEM新人提供支持系统。(3)蓄势待发。以准备成功的模式开始第一学年和第二学年的定向(新生)和重新定向(二年级)，其中包括正式的数学和科学学习技能发展计划、迷你课程、非传统和新的STEM经验、研究的早期介绍、向尚未确定的专业以及一年级和二年级的STEM专业提供营销和提供；以及(4)针对教职员工和高年级学生同行的导师培训。广泛影响：该项目承诺扩大影响，目标如下：(1)每年增加15名STEM毕业生；(2)一个可供评估、记录和传播的具有凝聚力的混合单元模式，可用于其他环境，对全国的STEM学生产生积极影响；(3)学生有更多机会学习STEM技能，花更多时间在小班环境中进行互动，探索实验室和研究环境；以及(4)更多训练有素的教职员工和同龄人能够促进学生对STEM的兴趣并取得成功，从而增加传统上代表性不足的STEM毕业生人数。

This project is directed at increasing the number of students entering, graduating, advancing to graduate studies and/or pursing professional careers in STEM disciplines. The School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) continues to explore improvement strategies for recruitment, instruction, hands-on laboratory and research experiences, and mentoring, as well as a number of other academic reinforcement programs for STEM majors. A valuable, plentiful and inadequately tapped resource for increasing the number of students entering STEM majors and obtaining STEM degrees at the College is the "Undecideds." Undecideds refer to students who enter the College without a declared major, many of whom have a genuine interest and curiosity of STEM, but select other majors at a rate of 75%. Since no organized effort existed in the environment to expose Undecideds to the wonder, challenge, reward, fulfillment and diversity of careers in STEM, this project is undertaking the implementation of an innovative recruiting approach. In addition, to help ensure successful matriculation of the STEM recruits and improve the overall retention of all STEM majors, a program that focuses on improving science and mathematics skills and enhancing the overall STEM experience is underway. The project represents a joint effort of School of STEM administrators, department chairs, discipline coordinators, faculty, and upper class students. In addition, this effort is presented in collaboration with the Benedict College Student Support Service Unit.Intellectual Merit: The project includes the following strategies in order to promote an increase in the number of students pursuing and obtaining STEM degrees: (1) Got STEM? A year-round recruiting initiative that targets undecided majors and introduces them to the excitement and benefits of STEM careers; (2) STEM Success Units. A cohesive hybrid unit design that integrates faculty mentoring and advising, peer-to-peer mentoring and tutoring and team building in a manner that promotes students success and provides a support system for each STEM recruit. (3) Ready for Success. An orientation (freshman) and reorientation (rising sophomores) to begin the first and second academic years, respectively, in a ready for success mode which includes a formal math and science study skills development program, mini courses, non traditional and new STEM experiences, an early introduction to research, being marketed and offered to undecided majors, as well as freshman and sophomore STEM majors; and (4) Mentorship training for faculty and upper class student peers.Broader Impact: This project promises to broaden impact with the following objectives: (1) A target increase of 15 STEM graduates per year; (2) A cohesive hybrid unit model to be assessed, documented and disseminated that may be used in other environments to positively affect STEM students nationally; (3) Increased number of opportunities for students to engage in STEM skills enrichment, spending additional time and interacting in smaller class settings for exploring the laboratory and research environment; and (4) Increased number of trained faculty and student peers who can promote interest and success in STEM within the student body, thereby increasing the number of traditionally underrepresented students graduating with STEM degrees.