Enriching the First-Year Experience for Students at an Urban Hispanic-Serving Institution Through Peer Mentoring and Active Inquiry: A Track 1 Project

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。 东北伊利诺伊大学（NEIU）正在制定新的战略，通过利用所需的第一年经验（FYE）课程，招募更多代表性不足（主要是西班牙裔）的学生到本科地球科学课程。NEIU是一所城市，通勤，综合性大学，位于芝加哥北侧的住宅区，为STEM领域代表性不足的大型少数民族社区提供教育。 该项目正在测试一个模型计划，以吸引学生到地球科学，为他们提供高质量的，令人振奋的教育经验，在他们的第一年，教地质原理，并帮助他们个人连接到大学，科学，和人在该领域。项目活动旨在解决影响学生专业和职业选择的情感领域。学生通过调查水污染，城市土壤中的铅，以及他们社区的洪水，以及地质学影响他们日常生活的许多其他方式，接触到地球科学的社会相关性。预计，随着学生通过令人兴奋的实践学习经验与地质学原理的接触，他们将开始意识到地质学的力量，为自己，社区和世界创造更美好的生活。学生与大学的联系，这往往是很难实现的通勤学校，正在鼓励通过使用同侪导师谁充当学术榜样和教练。与地球科学专业和专业地球科学家的互动被用来鼓励他们完成地球科学学位的兴趣。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is developing new strategies to recruit more underrepresented (largely Hispanic) students to undergraduate Earth Sciences programs by capitalizing on a required First-Year Experience (FYE) curriculum. NEIU is an urban, commuter, comprehensive university located in a residential neighborhood on Chicago's north side that provides education for a large community of minorities underrepresented in the STEM fields. This project is testing a model program to attract students to the geosciences by providing them with a high-quality, invigorating educational experience in their first year that teaches geologic principles and helps them personally connect to the university, the science, and people in the field. Project activities are designed to address the affective domain, which influences students' major and career choices. Students are being exposed to the social relevance of the geosciences through investigation of water pollution, lead in urban soils, and flooding in their neighborhoods, as well as the many other ways that geology influences their daily lives. It is expected that, as students engage with geologic principles through exciting hands-on learning experiences, they will begin to realize the power of geology to make a better life for themselves, their communities, and the world. Student connections to the university, which are oftentimes difficult to achieve for a commuter school, are being encouraged through the use of Peer Mentors who act as academic role models and coaches. Interactions with Earth Science majors and professional geoscientists are being used to encourage their interests in completing an Earth Science degree.