GEO-Scholar: Increasing Undergraduate Participation in the Geosciences

南卡罗来纳大学（USC）的国家科学基金会（NSF）科学、技术、工程和数学（S-STEM）项目奖学金将增加在地球、海洋和环境学院（SEOE）完成本科地球科学学位的有经济需要的学生人数。该项目将鼓励属于目前在地球科学领域代表性不足的群体的个人和第一代大学生申请。除了开展外展活动和提供奖学金外，该项目还将采用以南加州大学现有成功项目为基础的循证项目实践。这些实践包括暑期培训、数学技能提高和公共课程计划。该计划将帮助学生坚持地球科学专业并及时毕业。为那些可能无法负担大学费用的学术优秀的STEM学生提供奖学金，将增加STEM毕业生的数量，以满足国家、地区和地方产业的需求。南卡罗来纳大学的GEO-Scholar项目将通过拓展项目增加学生对地球科学的了解，从而提高目标学生的兴趣、知识和表现。奖学金每年将颁发给6至8名在地球科学专业有学术天赋且有经济需要的学生。该项目将通过增加新项目和对南加州大学现有项目进行制度化的地球科学修改，增加对地球科学专业学生的招聘和保留。学生支持服务将包括强调提高数学技能，在第一年参加共同课程，以及夏季定向计划。南加州大学的地球科学学者将通过与教师、公共和私营部门合作，提供研究、实习和工作机会，进一步熟悉地球科学领域的职业机会，从而增加地球科学领域准备充分、技能熟练的员工数量。评估和评估将深入了解学生奖学金、职业发展活动以及教师指导和建议的保留好处。从项目评估数据中获得的经验教训和有效实践将广泛传播到STEM教育界，并有助于提高对成功的学生奖学金和支持项目的属性和实践的广泛理解。

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at the University of South Carolina (USC) will increase the number of students with demonstrated financial need who complete undergraduate geoscience degrees within the School of the Earth, Ocean, and Environment (SEOE). The program will encourage applications from individuals belonging to groups currently underrepresented in the geosciences and from first generation college students. In addition to conducting outreach activities and providing scholarships, the project will employ evidenced-based program practices that are built upon existing successful programs at USC. These practices include a summer orientation, mathematics skills improvement, and a common course program. The program will help students to persist in geosciences majors and graduate in a timely manner. Providing scholarships to academically strong STEM students, who may not otherwise be able to afford college, will increase the number of STEM graduates prepared to fill the needs of national, regional, and local industries.The GEO-Scholar program at the University of South Carolina will increase student exposure to the geosciences by developing an outreach program that results in increased interest, knowledge, and performance from targeted students. Each year scholarships will be awarded to 6 to 8 academically talented students majoring in the geosciences who demonstrate financial need. The project will increase recruitment and retention of students majoring in the geosciences by adding new programs and institutionalizing geoscience modifications to programs that currently exist at USC. The student support services will include an emphasis on improving mathematics skills, participation in a common course during the first year, and a summer orientation program. GEO-Scholars at USC will increase the number of well-prepared and skilled employees in the geosciences by working with faculty and public and private sectors to provide research, internship, and work opportunities that further familiarize participants with career opportunities in the geosciences. Assessment and evaluation will provide insight into the retention benefits of student scholarships, career development activities, and faculty mentoring and advising. Lessons learned and effective practices that emerge from the program evaluation data will be disseminated widely to the STEM education community and help increase widespread understanding of the attributes and practices of successful student scholarship and support programs.