GP-IMPACT - Pathways into Geosciences at the University of Arizona

亚利桑那大学(UA)正在开发一项新计划，以增加从两年制大学(2YC)转来的地球科学专业的招生、留住和职业机会。科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)领域的转学学生往往比未转学的学生毕业时间更长，学习成绩指标更低，就业前景更有限。与大多数四年制院校相比，两年制大学的少数族裔学生比例更高。UA GeoPath项目建立在学生有效参与、学习和保留STEM的证据基础上，并有助于建立证据基础，特别是在传统上代表性较低的少数族裔学生中。该计划包括由皮马社区学院(PCC)的UA本科生积极招聘，重点指导，职业发展，以及在亚利桑那州的地球科学公司、机构或非政府组织进行带薪实习。该计划支持STEM教育，增加STEM领域的多样性，让学生参与社区企业和组织，并通过改善其工作人员的学术和实践准备来促进该领域的发展。UA GeoPath计划正在建立一个以社区为基础的计划，支持从亚利桑那州PCC和其他2YC转来的地球科学专业学生。加州大学地球科学系目前招收208名理学士专业学生；大约40名是从PCC和其他2YC转来的。每年有10到20名2YC学生转到加州大学地球科学专业学习。与UA相比，PCC的少数族裔、退伍军人和年龄较大的学生所占比例更大。该项目利用了两个机构之间现有的教学关系，因为地球科学专业的头两年课程在亚利桑那州2YC和亚利桑那州大学之间很好地衔接。此外，两名PCC教员曾在加州大学教授地球科学课程。尽管课程调整和教师共享，但转校生往往在课程工作中准备不足，不确定UA学位要求，对就业前景不确定，并担心经济支持。转学学生在获得本科学位后也不太可能有职业流动，因为他们的家庭责任。通过为转校生建立招聘、指导和实习计划，这些挑战正在得到解决。亚利桑那州立大学的学生通过带领实地考察和参加PCC课堂活动来接触潜在的转学学生。新转学的学生在加州大学的第一年参加了两个新的关于专业技能的研讨会：“STEM的成功策略”和“研究准备”。这些工作坊及其课程正在为学生在采矿业、水文和环境咨询、联邦、州和地方机构以及环境非政府组织的当地企业进行带薪实习做准备。参与的GeoPath主持人将与在UA实习一年后的实习生匹配。根据雇主和实习生的需要，320小时的实习时间要么在暑期以8周的全职形式进行，要么在更长的时间内进行兼职。该项目每年都会挑选8到10名实习生。一年级组的成员在项目的后几年担任同伴导师，并在PCC或其他2YC上介绍他们的实习经历。新的UA战略计划“永不安顿”，呼吁每一名本科生在攻读学位期间参与专业或社区服务。这一全美大学范围的努力将有助于该计划在最初的NSF支持之外继续下去。目前正在评估包括指导、研讨会和实习在内的综合方法的项目有效性，以支持两年制到四年制的大学过渡，以证明其作为2YC、研究型大学和当地社区潜在雇主之间类似伙伴关系的典范的潜力。据推测，UA GeoPath的经历将提高从PCC和其他亚利桑那州2YC转学的学生的招生、留住、学业成绩和毕业率。该项目将更好地服务于未来的地球科学家，这些人来自四年制学术项目和劳动力中代表性不足的群体：经济困难的学生、代表性不足的少数民族、年龄较大的学生和退伍军人。为转学学生提供实践经验将有助于他们选择专业课程，并可能为进入研究生院做好准备。UA GeoPath将加强UA地球科学与当地雇主之间的联系，为所有学生创造更多机会。

The University of Arizona (UA) is developing a new program to increase the recruitment, retention and professional opportunities of geoscience majors transferring from two-year colleges (2YC). Transfer students in this science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field tend to have longer times-to-graduation, lower metrics of academic performance, and more limited job prospects than non-transfer students. Two-year colleges have a higher proportion of underrepresented minority (URM) students than most four-year institutions. The UA GeoPathways project builds on and contributes to the evidence base for effective student engagement, learning and retention in STEM, particularly among traditionally underrepresented minority students. The program consists of active recruiting by UA undergraduates at Pima Community College (PCC), focused mentoring, professional development, and paid internship with Arizona-based, geoscience companies, agencies or non-governmental organizations. This program supports STEM education, increasing diversity in this STEM field, engaging students with community businesses and organizations, and advancing the field by improving the academic and practical preparation of its workforce.The UA GeoPathways program is establishing a community-based program of support for geoscience majors transferring from PCC and other 2YCs in Arizona. The UA Department of Geosciences currently enrolls 208 B.S. majors; about 40 are transfers from PCC and other 2YCs. Each year, between 10 and 20 2YC students transfer in to major in Geosciences at UA. PCC has a greater proportion of under-represented minorities, veterans, and older students than UA. This project leverages existing instructional relationships between the two institutions, in that the first two years of courses for the geosciences major are well-articulated between Arizona 2YCs and UA. Additionally, two PCC faculty have taught geoscience courses at UA. Despite course alignment and shared faculty, transfer students are often under-prepared in coursework, unsure of UA degree requirements, uncertain about job prospects, and concerned about financial support. Transfer students are also less likely to have occupational mobility after receiving their undergraduate degree because of their family commitments. These challenges are being addressed by establishing a recruiting, mentoring and internship program for transfer students. UA students are reaching out to prospective transfer students by leading field trips and by participating in PCC classroom activities. New transfer students are participating in two new workshops on professional skills in their first year at UA: "Success Strategies in STEM" and "Research Readiness." These workshops and their coursework are preparing students for paid internships with local businesses in the mining industry, hydrologic and environmental consulting, federal, state and local agencies and with environmental NGOs. Participating GeoPathways hosts are matched with student interns after their first year at UA. The 320-hour internships are being implemented either as 8 weeks fulltime during the summer or for part-time over a longer period, depending on the needs of the host and the intern. Between 8 and 10 interns are being selected each year of the project. Members of the first-year's cohort serve as peer mentors during later years of the program, and make presentations at PCC or other 2YCs on their internship experiences. The new UA strategic plan, "Never Settle", calls for the engagement of every undergraduate student with professional or community service during their degree program. This UA-wide effort will help sustain the program beyond its initial NSF support.Project effectiveness of the integrated approach involving mentoring, workshops and internships in support of 2-year to 4-year college transitions is being evaluated in order to document its potential as a model for similar partnerships among 2YCs, research universities, and potential employers in the local community. It is hypothesized that the UA GeoPathways experience will enhance the recruitment, retention, academic performance and graduation rates of students transferring from PCC and other Arizona 2YCs. The project will better serve prospective geoscientists from groups that are under-represented in four-year academic programs and the workforce: economically disadvantaged students, under-represented minorities, older students and military veterans. Providing hands-on experience for transfer students will assist them in selecting coursework for specialization and may prepare them for entering graduate school. UA GeoPathways will strengthen ties between UA Geosciences and local employers, creating more opportunities for all students.