STEP Up to Success

乔治王子社区学院（PGCC）每年为生物学、化学、计算机信息科学、工程学、计算机科学、信息安全和工程技术等学科的STEM学生提供20个奖学金，为期四年，以鼓励全日制入学，直到获得副学士学位和/或转学。研究表明，全日制学生更有可能在四年内转学；获得助学金（如奖学金）的学生更有可能毕业；获得副学士学位转学的社区大学学生更有可能完成学士学位。因此，与全日制入学要求挂钩的奖学金可能会提高毕业率和转学率。通过各种招聘活动和材料，从STEM大学中心（一个STEM学习社区）、STEM专业学生和对STEM职业感兴趣的未来高中毕业生中招募学生。PGCC的学生是少数族裔，主要是非裔美国人，STEM专业的入学人数一直在下降。奖学金、STEM学院中心会员资格、教师指导、可选的丰富活动和完善的支持结构使STEM职业中代表性不足的人群受益。该计划支持的活动包括由教师、学生支持服务和财政援助人员就各种主题举办的专门研讨会。这些工作坊培养有价值的技能，使学者更好地为他们所选择的STEM领域的高级研究和职业生涯做好准备。可选的团队项目竞赛和教师研究合作带来了地区和国家会议演讲的机会。评价方案包括定性措施和定量措施。计划在许多场所传播最佳做法和成果。

Prince George's Community College (PGCC) is providing 20 scholarships per year for four years to STEM students in the disciplines of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Information Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Information Security, and Engineering Technology to encourage full-time enrollment until associate degree attainment and/or transfer. Research shows that students enrolled full-time are more likely to transfer within four years; students with grants, such as scholarships, are more likely to graduate; and community college students who transfer with an associate degree are more likely to complete a bachelor's degree. Thus, scholarships tied to a full-time enrollment requirement are likely to increase graduation and transfer rates. Students are recruited from the STEM Collegian Center (a STEM learning community), from STEM majors, and from prospective high school graduates interested in STEM careers through a variety of recruitment activities and materials. PGCC has a minority majority student body, mainly African-American, and has had declining STEM enrollments. The scholarships, STEM Collegian Center membership, faculty mentoring, optional enrichment activities, and well-established support structures benefit a population that has been underrepresented in STEM careers. Activities supported by the program include specialized workshops presented by faculty and by student support services and financial aid staff on a variety of topics. These workshops foster valuable skills to better prepare the scholars for advanced studies and a professional life in their chosen STEM field. Optional team project competitions and faculty research collaborations lead to opportunities for regional and national conference presentations. The evaluation plan includes qualitative as well as quantitative measures. Dissemination of best practices and outcomes is planned at many venues.