GEO-Scholar: Increasing Undergraduate Participation in the Geosciences

南卡罗来纳大学的国家科学基金会科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金(S-STEM)项目将增加在地球、海洋和环境学院(SEOE)完成本科地球科学学位的有经济需求的学生的数量。该计划将鼓励属于目前在地球科学中代表性不足的群体的个人和第一代大学生的申请。除了开展外展活动和提供奖学金，该项目还将采用基于证据的项目实践，这些实践建立在南加州大学现有成功项目的基础上。这些练习包括暑期指导、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。为学业优秀的STEM学生提供奖学金，否则他们可能负担不起上大学的费用，这将增加STEM毕业生的数量，以满足国家、地区和当地行业的需求。南卡罗来纳大学的地球科学学者项目将通过开发一个外展项目来增加学生对地球科学的接触，从而提高目标学生的兴趣、知识和表现。每年将向6至8名有学术天赋的地球科学专业学生颁发奖学金，这些学生表现出经济上的需要。该项目将通过增加新的项目并将对南加州大学现有项目的地球科学修改制度化，来增加地球科学专业学生的招生和留住。学生支持服务将包括强调提高数学技能，在第一年参加一门公共课程，以及暑期迎新计划。南加州大学的地学学者将通过与教师以及公共和私营部门合作，提供研究、实习和工作机会，进一步熟悉地学领域的职业机会，从而增加地学领域训练有素的熟练员工的数量。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留任好处。从项目评估数据中吸取的经验教训和有效的做法将广泛传播给STEM教育界，并有助于增加对成功的学生奖学金和支持计划的属性和做法的广泛了解。

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.