Elm STEMS: An Integrated Approach to Cultivating Academic Success in Science, Technology and Math

通过榆树茎项目，榆树圣母学院(榆树学院)正在扩大其生物、化学、数学或计算机信息技术课程的招生规模，方法是在STEM提供新的职业发展和经验机会。这个S-STEM项目的目标是支持有经济需求的合格学生，为他们提供成功的工具，并将他们与新英格兰地区的技术行业联系起来。该项目共向21名S-STEM奖学金获得者(10名一年级学生和11名转校生)颁发奖学金。该项目的目标是：1)增加STEM一年级和转学学生的入学人数；2)留住这些学者并支持他们完成毕业；3)提供体验学习(研究或实习)的机会；4)增加在各自领域继续研究生学习或找到工作的学者人数。该项目建立在强大的现有学生支持基础设施的基础上，并实施了新为榆树茎项目创建的项目，以为S-STEM学者提供循证支持：由STEM教员授课的一年级研讨会的一个特别部分为S-STEM学者提供队列建设和同行指导；为大三学生和转学学生开设的新的科学和技术交流课程旨在培养关键技能并将转学学生纳入队列；STEM职业系列和STEM On The Road实地考察计划提供职业探索机会。为了确保学业成功，ELMS正在实施学生支持，包括定期辅导和增强的积极主动的教职员工建议。通过共同参加第一年的研讨会、三年级的讲习班和以STEM为基础的服务学习项目，促进队列经验。榆树学院的招生战略以当地高中和社区大学的优秀学生为目标，其中许多学校的少数民族和第一代人口比例较低。为了提高高中生和社区大学生对该地区各种STEM职业机会的认识，ELMS正在实施外展和职业教育，包括招聘活动，包括基于主题的亲身实践活动(如取证、基于实验室的生物技术和实地环境评估)和与当地行业的网络机会。正在与当地高中教师和社区大学教职员工和辅导员建立更多的伙伴关系，以支持这些外联工作。

Through the Elm STEMs project, the College of Our Lady of the Elms (Elms College) is expanding enrollment in its biology, chemistry, mathematics or computer information technology programs through new career-building, experiential opportunities in STEM. The goal of this S-STEM project is to support qualified students with financial need, provide them with the tools for success, and connect them with the regional technology industry in New England. The project is awarding scholarships to a total of 21 S-STEM scholar students (10 first-year and 11 transfer students). The objectives of this project are to: 1) increase enrollment of first-year and transfer students in STEM, 2) increase retention of these scholars and support them through graduation, 3) provide opportunities for experiential learning (research or internships), and 4) increase the number of scholars continuing to graduate studies or finding employment in their field. This project builds upon a strong existing student-support infrastructure as well as implements programs newly created for the Elm STEMS program to provide evidence-based support for the S-STEM scholars: a special section of the First Year Seminar taught by STEM faculty provides cohort building and peer mentoring for S-STEM scholars; a new Scientific and Technical Communications course for juniors and transfer students develops critical skills and bring transfer students into the cohort; and the STEM Career Series and the STEM on the Road field trip program provides opportunities for career exploration. To ensure academic success, Elms is implementing student supports that include scheduled tutoring and enhanced proactive faculty advisement. A cohort experience is promoted based on common participation in a first year seminar, a junior year workshop, and a STEM-based service learning project. Elms College's recruitment strategy targets high-achieving students from local high schools and community colleges, many of which have large underrepresented minority and first-generation populations. To increase awareness in high school students and community college students of the wide range of STEM career opportunities in the region, Elms is implementing outreach and career education, including recruitment events that include theme-based engaging hands-on activities (such as forensics, lab-based biotechnology, and field-based environmental assessment) and networking opportunities with local industry. Additional partnerships with local high school teachers and community college faculty and counselors are being developed to support these outreach efforts.