Using Socially Relevant Computing to Attract and Retain Computer Science Majors

西北密苏里州州立大学提供25个S-STEM奖学金给有才华但经济上处于不利地位的学生，他们攻读计算机科学学士学位或交互式数字媒体专业的计算机科学课程。 学者接受广泛的指导，包括教师，同行和行业专业人士的文化特定的指导以及职业规划援助。 特别活动包括研究和实习机会、实地考察、出席国家会议、成为ACM成员和辅导。 特别鼓励来自代表性不足群体的学生申请这些奖学金。计算的社会相关方面已被纳入西北密苏里州州立大学的计算课程。 这个项目将衡量使用这种方法来提高学生保留率的有效性。作为该项目的一部分，西北密苏里州州立大学的教职员工与地区K-12教师合作，将计算融入K-12课程。 这些联系将计算引入到各种潜在的学者中，并提高了K-12地区学校对计算概念的了解。 此外，通过该项目开发的资源可供其他学院和大学使用，以便在西北取得的成果可以在其他机构复制。

Northwest Missouri State University provides twenty-five S-STEM scholarships to talented yet financially disadvantaged students pursuing baccalaureate degrees in computer science or the computer science track of the interactive digital media major. Scholars receive extensive mentoring, including culturally specific mentoring by faculty, peers and industry professionals as well as career-planning assistance. Special activities include research and internship opportunities, field trips, attendance at national conferences, ACM membership and tutoring. Students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply for these scholarships.Socially relevant aspects of computing have been integrated into the computing curricula at Northwest Missouri State University. This project will measure the effectiveness of using this approach to improve student retention. The effects of culturally specific mentoring will also be measured.As part of the project, Northwest Missouri State University faculty members work with area K-12 teachers to integrate computing into the K-12 curriculum. These ties introduce computing to a diverse pool of potential scholars and improve exposure to computing concepts in area K-12 schools. In addition, the resources developed through this project are available to other colleges and universities so that results obtained at Northwest can be replicated at other institutions.