Improving the Quality of STEM Education and Research at Oakwood College (STEMER)

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Oakwood College, founded in 1896, is a Historically Black, four year private liberal arts institution in Huntsville Alabama. Through the HBCU-UP program, Oakwood aims to implement activities to increase the enrollment and graduation rates of students, as well as strengthen the preparation and awareness of incoming students. An overall goal is to increase the number of students prepared by Oakwood for successful completion of STEM graduate programs or successful entry into the STEM workforce.The activities designed to achieve these goals include enhanced recruitment; a summer bridge enrichment program; academic enrichment, mentoring and advising; graduate school planning and preparation; and a weekend academy tutorial program.Enhanced recruitment will involve web and other electronic outreach, as well as more traditional flyers and attendance at college and graduation functions. In order to achieve this, there will be a person dedicated to recruitment for STEM majors. The summer bridge enrichment program will be aimed at high school seniors and will focus on preparation for success in mathematics, as well as an introduction to research activities. Outreach to middle and high school students will also take the form of a Weekend Academy Tutorial Program, especially aimed at students at three local schools with high drop out rates. Undergraduate Oakwood students majoring in STEM will have enhanced advising and mentoring, peer tutoring, undergraduate research experience, and other extra-curricular activities aimed at strengthening the quality of the undergraduate education experience. Enhanced advisement will utilize a tool that offer guidance for exploring how students think, learn and communicate.The series of activities planned should positively impact the number of students entering Oakwood College prepared to major in STEM, and the number of students completing STEM majors prepared for graduate study or the STEM workforce.