Scholars in Math and Science: A Program to Improve Recruitment and Retention of Students in the Biological Sciences

穆伦贝格学院因一项名为“数学与科学学者”（西姆斯）的项目获得了NSF科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金（S-STEM）奖。西姆斯将针对那些进入大学寻求生物科学专业的学术天才和经济困难的学生。将招募两批8名学生：第一批将获得为期4年的9，500美元/年奖学金，第二批将获得为期3年的9，500美元/年奖学金。该提案是建立在以前的STEM赠款的成功计划要素的基础上，其中包括加强招聘和学术支持。通过这个项目，穆伦贝格学院将促进一个强大的和多样化的STEM劳动力。这个项目的新项目元素正在设计中，以发展学术和科学技能，创建一个从大一到大四的学习社区，并通过校园和公共宣传活动培养学生的领导力。 该项目将改善学生支持服务，包括形成学习社区，提供特殊课程和部分，让学生通过障碍类，建立同伴主导的学习，并提供长期导师。 西姆斯将增加学者的领导作用，提高他们的科学过程技能，鼓励参与研究，并改善低收入和其他代表性不足的群体的招聘和财政支持。西姆斯评估和评价将是全面和持续的，包括定量和定性工具和文献中的措施。 项目外部评估员正在使用形成性和总结性评估来评估学生的数学准备，技能发展，理解和交流生物学关键原则的能力，学位进度和毕业率。 特别强调将放在调查，以评估和不断改进的计划，重点是学生的成功的元素。 这些数据将告知我们对有效实践的理解，这些实践支持在STEM学科中代表性不足的学生毕业。

Muhlenberg College has received an NSF Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) award for a project entitled The Scholars in Math and Science (SIMS) program. SIMS will target academically talented and economically disadvantaged students who enter college seeking a major within the biological sciences. Two cohorts of 8 students each will be recruited: the first cohort will receive scholarships of $9,500/year for 4 years, and the second will receive scholarships of $9,500/year for 3 years. The proposal is building upon successful program elements of a previous STEM grant that included enhanced recruitment and academic support. Through this program, Muhlenberg College will promote a robust and diverse STEM workforce.Program elements new to this project are being designed to develop academic and science skills, create a learning community that lasts from freshman to senior year, and develop student leadership through activities on campus and in public outreach. The project will improve student support services including forming learning communities, providing special classes and sections to get students past hurdle classes, instituting peer-led learning, and providing long-term mentors. SIMS will increase the leadership roles of scholars, improving their science process skills, encouraging participation in research, and improving recruitment and financial support for low income and otherwise underrepresented groups. SIMS assessment and evaluation will be comprehensive and ongoing and include both quantitative and qualitative instruments and measures from the literature. The project external evaluator is using both formative and summative evaluations to assess student mathematics readiness, skills development, ability to understand and communicate key principles in biology, progress to degree, and graduation rates. Particular emphasis will be placed on the surveys to assess and continually improve the elements of the program that are focused on student success. The data will inform our understanding of effective practices that support the persistence to graduation of students underrepresented in STEM disciplines.