STEP-UP Scholars: Encouraging Scholarship in Science, Technology, and Engineering

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The "Science, Technology, and Engineering Program (STEP-UP) Scholars" project at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) will address STEM workforce needs by promoting the college and career success of academically talented, low income students using a comprehensive learning community focused on intentional student support. A total of 52 scholars will be provided with scholarships that will cover their cost of attending school. This project will draw upon a collection of student support practices with strong backing from the scholarly literature. STEM faculty will collaborate with campus partners to sustain a comprehensive learning community that will provide support for scholars as they work towards graduation.The comprehensive and intensive student services component of the STEP-UP project will be compared with traditional advisor/success coach models by tracking student retention and graduation outcomes, resulting in the collection of quantitative and qualitative data on best practices in student support for both traditional and underrepresented student populations. This data will make it possible to measure the effect of scholarships and student support services on student participation, progress and success, in both the overall student population and the traditionally underrepresented local Hispanic/Latino population. Analysis of specific programmatic components, and overall program satisfaction will generate new knowledge regarding student impact, program impact, and institutional impact.