Promoting Retention and Completion with STEM Research and Design Cohorts at Linn-Benton Community College

林恩-本顿社区学院(林恩-本顿社区学院)的科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金(S-STEM)项目“与STEM研究和设计群体一起促进留校和完成”项目每年将为有经济需要的LBCC STEM专业的学业优秀学生提供约21个奖学金。由于该项目是在先前成功的S-STEM努力(技术学者计划、TSP-I和TSP-II)的基础上和扩展的，因此参与者将被称为TSP-III学者。化学、物理、地质学、工程学、数学、计算机科学和生物学将是奖学金的目标专业。学生将参与研究和/或设计项目体验，作为几个可能的研究和设计队列(RDC)的一部分。这将通过一门名为“目的地毕业”的学分课程来完成，这是一项制度要求；S-STEM学者将获得这门课程的以STEM为中心的版本。此外，完成本课程后，学生将有机会与教职员工一起参与额外的RDC选修活动。将主要通过有针对性地面向四个小组招募学者：(1)俄勒冈州海洋先进技术教育(Mate)远程操作车辆(ROV)计划，(2)林恩和本顿县5年级高中生，(3)大学援助移民计划(CAMP)，以及(4)激励和认可科学技术(First)机器人。以这些群体为目标进行招聘预计会产生一批申请者，他们不仅具有在STEM学科取得成功的学术天赋或潜力，而且有经济需求，因为许多参与其中一些项目的学生是低收入的第一代大学生。此外，俄勒冈州的Mate ROV团队大约有50%是女性，因此有可能扩大女性在STEM领域的参与。该项目预期的短期成果是：(1)为学生提供重大的经济救济；(2)营造一种环境，学生感到得到该计划和学院的支持，留在学校，在学院有社区意识，取得学业成功，并成功过渡到四年制项目；(3)让教师参与一个评估结果的系统，并在适当的时候做出改变，以改善学生的学习和留存。科罗拉多州学生对科学的学习态度调查(CLUST)将被用来确定获得奖学金的学生是否真的比非S-STEM学生(包括非STEM专业的学生)面临更小的经济压力。这项调查每年将发布几次，以便全面衡量奖学金对财务稳定性和专注于学习的能力的影响。中期预期结果是，TSP-III学者将：(1)与非S-STEM同行相比，他们将被保留并在学业上表现良好；(2)成功转到四年制院校，并在这些机构继续感受到同龄人的支持。LBCC的院校研究办公室将提供反映学生留存和成功的数据，以跟踪每个季度的学生表现，以便教师、顾问和项目工作人员在发现问题时及早干预。国家学生信息交换中心将被用来跟踪成功转学的TSP-III学者的数量和百分比。与加州州立大学富勒顿分校和俄勒冈州立大学等合作伙伴合作，将进行一项后续调查，以获得关于学者们对四年计划的经验、进展和准备情况的反馈，以及获得同行支持的程度。

The Linn-Benton Community College's (LBCC's) "Promoting Retention and Completion with STEM Research and Design Cohorts" Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project will annually provide approximately 21 scholarships to academically talented LBCC STEM majors with financial need. Because this project builds upon and expands prior successful S-STEM efforts (Tech Scholars Program, TSP-I and TSP-II), participants will be referred to as TSP-III Scholars. Chemistry, physics, geology, engineering, math, computer science, and biology will be the target majors for the scholarships. Students will engage in research and/or design project experiences as part of one of several possible Research and Design Cohorts (RDCs). This will be accomplished through a one-credit course called "Destination Graduation," which is an institutional requirement; a STEM-centered version of this course will be available to S-STEM scholars. Further, students will have the opportunity to engage in additional optional RDC activities with faculty members after completion of this course. Scholars will be recruited primarily through targeted outreach to four groups: (1) Oregon Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) program, (2) Linn and Benton Counties' 5th Year High School Students, (3) College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), and (4) For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics. Targeting these groups for recruitment is expected to yield a pool of applicants who not only have the academic talent or potential to succeed in STEM disciplines, but also financial need, as many students engaged in some of the programs are low-income, first generation college students. Additionally, the MATE ROV teams in Oregon are roughly 50% female, thus lending to the possibility of broadening participation of women in STEM fields.Expected short-term outcomes of the project are: (1) to provide significant financial relief for the students; (2) to foster an environment where students feel supported by the program and the college to stay in school, have a sense of community at the college, achieve academic success, and transition successfully to a four year program; (3) to engage faculty in a system that assesses outcomes and makes changes when appropriate to improve student learning and retention. The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) will be used to determine whether or not the students who receive the scholarships indeed face reduced financial strain compared to non S-STEM students, including non-STEM majors. This survey will be issued several times throughout each year allowing for a comprehensive measure of how the scholarships impact financial stability and ability to concentrate on learning. Intermediate expected outcomes are that TSP-III scholars will: (1) be retained and perform well academically compared to their non S-STEM counterparts; and (2) transfer successfully to a four-year institution and feel a continued sense of peer group support at those institutions. Data reflecting student retention and success will be provided by LBCC's Office of Institutional Research to track student performance each quarter allowing faculty, advisors, and project staff to intervene early if problems are identified. The National Student Clearinghouse will be used to track the number and percent of TSP-III Scholars who transfer successfully. In collaboration with partners such as California State University at Fullerton and Oregon State University, a follow-up survey will be administered to obtain feedback on the scholars' experience, progress, and preparedness for the four-year program as well as the extent of peer support received.