Increasing the Number of Regional Community College Graduates and Active Duty Military Personnel, Veterans and Dependents Enrolling in and Completing a STEM Baccalaureate Degree

该项目的合作伙伴奥斯汀Peay州立大学（APSU）与哥伦比亚州立社区学院，志愿者州立社区学院，纳什维尔州立社区学院，以及位于坎贝尔堡军事基地（在坎贝尔堡，肯塔基州）的APSU中心，以增加学生的数量和毕业率从区域社区学院和从军事服务转移到APSU四年STEM学位。 奖学金计划每年提供15-30个奖学金，学生获得一到三年的支持。奖学金计划的目标是： - 提高在社区学院完成理学副学士学位后转入APSU的学生的毕业率; - 增加社区学院学生寻求学士学位的人数。在STEM学科; - 增加现役军人，退伍军人和家属的数量注册和完成学士学位。在STEM学科中;以及 - 与学生合作，尽早确定职业道路，并帮助他们成功地过渡到无论是工作或研究生院后，立即完成他们的学士学位该项目探讨了提供财政，学术，职业和社会支持社区学院和军事学生对学生进入四年制STEM课程的数量和他们在这些程序的成功率的影响。 核心支持结构用于提高转学生和有军事背景的学生的成功包括：一个夏桥计划; S-STEM学生一起生活在一个新宿舍的一个翼：每月与指定的教师导师会议;奖学金学生成为同伴导师的鼓励;包括在APSU STEM活动的合作伙伴社区学院;在APSU和伙伴机构所服务的地理区域内，STEM学科的大学生人数不足，无法满足该地区的预计需求。 一个特别的需求是由于铁杉半导体公司最近在田纳西州克拉克斯维尔（APSU的所在地）开设了一个12亿美元的工厂。 预计这一大型多晶硅生产设施的开放将吸引其他高科技产业到该地区，这将需要更多的STEM毕业生在未来。

This project partners Austin Peay State University (APSU) with Columbia State Community College, Volunteer State Community College, Nashville State Community College, and the APSU Center located on the Fort Campbell Military Base (in Fort Campbell, KY) in order to increase the number and graduation rates of students transferring from regional community colleges and from military service to four-year STEM degrees at APSU. The scholarship program offers 15-30 scholarships per year, with students receiving support for one to three years.Objectives of the scholarship program are to: - improve the graduation rate of students that transfer to APSU after completing an Associate of Science degree at a community college; - increase the number of community college students seeking a B.S. in a STEM discipline; - increase the number of Active Duty Military Personnel, Veterans and Dependents enrolling and completing a B.S. in a STEM Discipline; and - work with students to identify career paths early and help them successfully transition to either a job or graduate school immediately upon completing their B.S.The project explores the effect that providing financial, academic, career and social support to community college and military students has on the number of students entering four-year STEM programs and their success rate in these programs. Core support structures used to increase success for transfer students and students with military backgrounds include: a Summer Bridge Program; S-STEM students living together in a wing of a new dormitory: monthly meetings with an assigned faculty mentor; encouragement of scholarship students to become peer mentors; including partner community colleges in APSU STEM events; and seminars by individuals in STEM disciplines/industry/careers.In the geographic area served by APSU and the partner institutions, there are insufficient college students in STEM disciplines to meet the projected needs of the region. A particular need is due to the recent opening by Hemlock Semiconductor of a $1.2 billion facility in Clarksville TN (the home of APSU). It is anticipated that the opening of this large polysilicon producing facility will attract other high tech industry to the region that will require additional STEM graduates in the future.