OPTIMUM: OPportunities for Talent Expansion in Interdisciplinary Education for Minorities and Women in Undergraduate Mathematics and Science

费耶特维尔州立大学本科数学和科学跨学科教育人才扩展机会（FSU OPTIMUM）计划代表了包括费耶特维尔技术社区学院（FTCC）和该地区的高中和行业在内的一项努力。该项目鼓励并使少数民族学生能够完成生物学、生物技术、化学、计算机科学和数学的学士学位，并进入STEM劳动力市场。在该项目的五年时间里，它是：1)将STEM学科的少数族裔和女性毕业生人数从82人增加到112人；2)将STEM学科中未被充分代表的少数民族学生和女性的大学入学率从286人增加到355人；3)改善STEM学科中少数民族学生和女性的教育机会；4)将STEM专业第一年和第二年的留校率提高10%；5) STEM专业5年毕业率提高10%；6)提高学生获得和利用大学提供的支持计划的机会；7)与FTCC和服务地区的其他社区学院开展STEM学科的学位衔接和双招生项目；8)加强大学、当地学区、当地STEM教育组织和行业之间的伙伴关系；9)通过教师焦点小组，增加STEM教师在教学和使用创新策略提供教学和学生咨询方面获得专业发展的人数。学生将获得经济援助（学费和书费补贴、参加会议的旅费支持、GRE准备工作）、研究指导、强化咨询、STEM专业人员的实习和指导、数学和科学成就项目、跨学科科学课程，并鼓励加入学习社区。智力价值：该计划包括详细的基准和评估措施的计划结果。因此，拟议的活动提供了一个机会，以促进对STEM学科本科生的有效支持和建议手段的理解。采用创新的教学策略、学术指导和指导模式，以及随后的评估，促进了教育和研究的紧密结合。更广泛的影响：虽然该项目主要侧重于直接支持STEM学科的本科生，但该项目还促进了FSU在咨询、指导、网络和伙伴关系方面的基础设施的制度化和系统性变革；从而加强大学所服务的社会、经济和知识结构。

The Fayetteville State University Opportunities for Talent Expansion in Interdisciplinary Education for Minorities in Undergraduate Math and Science (FSU OPTIMUM) program represents an effort that includes Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) and high schools and industries in the area. The project encourages and enables minority students to complete baccalaureate degrees in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Math and to enter the STEM workforce. Over the five years of the program it is: 1) increasing the number of minority and women graduates in STEM disciplines, from 82 to 112; 2) increasing college enrollment of under-represented minority students and women in STEM disciplines from 286 to 355; 3) improving the educational opportunities for minority students and women in STEM disciplines; 4) increasing first-year and second-year retention rates of STEM majors by 10%; 5) increasing 5-year graduation rates of STEM majors by 10%; 6) improving student access to and utilization of support programs available at the University; 7) developing academic degree articulations and dual enrollment programs in STEM disciplines with FTCC and other community colleges in the service area; 8) strengthening partnerships between the University, local school districts, local STEM educational organizations and industries; and 9) through faculty focus groups, increasing the number of STEM faculty receiving professional development in teaching and in using innovative strategies for delivery of instruction and student advisement. Students receive financial assistance (tuition and book allowances, travel support to conferences, GRE preparations), research mentoring, enhanced advisement, internships and mentoring by STEM professionals, mathematics and science achievement projects, interdisciplinary science course offerings, and are encouraged to join learning communities. Intellectual Merit: The program includes detailed benchmarks and evaluation measures for program outcomes. Thus the proposed activities provide an opportunity to advance understanding of effective means of support and advisement for undergraduate students in the STEM disciplines. The use of innovative teaching strategies, academic advisement and mentoring models, and subsequent evaluation fosters tight integration of education and research. Broader Impacts: While the project is primarily focused on direct support for undergraduate students in STEM disciplines, this project also promotes institutionalized and systematic change in the infrastructure at FSU for advisement, mentoring, networking, and partnerships; thereby strengthening the social, economic, and intellectual fabric of the community served by the university.