Fostering Outstanding Cohorts in Undergraduate Science II

Focus II(Focus II)为生物、生物化学、化学、数学和物理专业的学生提供了一个两级计划，以促进一年级和二年级的留住学生，并为大三和大四学生提供有针对性的支持。学生参与队列计划和导师网络，包括研究生、教师和他们所在领域的专业人员，并可以申请参加专业会议的差旅支持。提供“科学职业”研讨会课程，为学员提供职业准备、课程作业建议、职业生涯技能和学术成功技能。这一计划的智力价值包括在队列建设中利用经过验证的战略，专注于留住STEM专业的学生，同时还采用新的方法来提高学生的成功。这一努力为本科生提供了经济支持，既是对他们在课程中取得好成绩的激励，也是在本科课程最密集的阶段减少对外部工作的必要性的一种手段。就更广泛的影响而言，该计划为不同群体的低收入学生提供培训。参与的学生将在强大的导师网络的帮助下，为进入STEM领域或研究生项目做好充分准备。项目团队与外部评估员合作，衡量学生的成果，并对项目活动进行形成性和终结性评估，这些评估将通过会议和出版物传播给科学教育界。

Fostering Outstanding Cohorts in Undergraduate Science II (FOCUS II) provides a two-tier program for biology, biochemistry, chemistry, mathematics, and physics majors to promote retention at the freshman and sophomore levels and to provide targeted support for juniors and seniors. Students participate in cohort scheduling and a mentor network including graduate students, faculty, and professionals in their field and can apply for travel support to attend professional conferences. A "Careers in Science" seminar course is offered to provide career preparation, advice on coursework, professional career skills, and academic success skills to participants. The intellectual merit of this program includes utilizing proven strategies in cohort building to focus on student retention in STEM majors while also employing new approaches to increase student success. This effort provides undergraduate students with financial support, as both an incentive to do well in their coursework, but also as a means to reduce the necessity for outside jobs during the most intensive portion of their undergraduate program. In terms of broader impact, this program provides training to a diverse population of low-income students. Students who participate will be well prepared to enter STEM fields or graduate programs with a strong mentor network to assist them. The program team works with an external evaluator to measure student outcomes and provide both formative and summative assessment of program activities, which will be disseminated to the science education community through conferences and publications.