Promoting persistence of underprivileged college students in science and mathematics through engagement of their families

美国国家科学基金会（NSF）在科学，技术，工程和数学（S-STEM）奖学金项目在太平洋大学森林格罗夫，俄勒冈州将颁发奖学金给36低收入，学术才华的学生，并提供收件人专门的校园编程。新生和转学生都有资格获得这些奖学金。奖学金将提供给生物学，化学，计算机科学，环境科学，数学和物理学的合格学生。该计划的要素将包括有针对性的学术支持和通过课外活动的队列发展。奖学金获得者将有机会获得STEM职业发展机会，包括教师的个人指导，实习，参与教师研究以及就业途径。预计许多奖学金获得者将是第一代大学生，该项目包括努力将奖学金获得者的家庭包括在内，使学生的家庭能够理解高等教育的挑战和机遇，并协助提供学生完成STEM学位可能需要的支持。 为低收入和学术天赋优秀的学生提供奖学金和支持，这些学生可能无法获得STEM学位，这将有助于培养训练有素的劳动力，这将有助于国家的经济增长和工业竞争力。虽然目前的研究为家庭支持的重要性提供了证据，很少有发表的研究调查大学毕业的结果时，父母和家庭成员的大学生从低收入背景是有目的地通知和包括在校园-以社会支持活动为中心。这个太平洋大学S-STEM项目将包括努力专门告知学生的父母或其他重要的家庭成员关于大学，包括咨询和注册等过程，大学的里程碑，如宣布专业，以及实习和研究等机会。 主题将包括学生在大学取得成功所需的基本时间承诺，以及应该限制大学学习之外的时间，以确保学术成功和获得STEM职业的经济机会。材料将采用多种语文，并在设计时考虑到相关的文化价值观和文化交流规范。 该项目将研究如何帮助学生家庭了解大学教育的投资价值，从而更愿意和更有能力为完成大学学业提供情感支持和鼓励。研究结果将有助于告知全国的STEM教育界，家庭成员在提高低收入和学术天赋学生的保留率和完成学位方面的作用。

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon will award scholarships to 36 low-income, academically talented students, and provide the recipients specialized on-campus programing. Both freshmen and transfer students will be eligible for these scholarships. Scholarships will be offered to qualified students in biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, mathematics, and physics. Elements in the program will include targeted academic support and cohort development through co-curricular activities. Scholarship recipients will have access to STEM career development opportunities including individual mentoring by faculty, internships, participation in faculty research, and pathways for job placement. It is anticipated that many of the scholarship recipients will be first-generation college students and the project includes an effort to include the families of scholarship recipients in a way that enables the student's family to appreciate the challenges and opportunities of higher education and to assist in providing the support students may need to complete STEM degrees. Scholarships and support for low-income and academically talented students, who may not otherwise be able to obtain STEM degrees, will help to produce a well-trained workforce that will contribute to the nation's economic growth and industrial competitiveness.While current research provides evidence for the importance of family support, few published studies investigate college completion outcomes when the parents and family members of college students from low-income backgrounds are purposefully informed and included in campus-centered social support activities. This Pacific University S-STEM project will include an effort to specifically inform students' parents or other critical family members about college, including processes such as advising and registration, college milestones such as declaring a major, and opportunities such as internships and research. Topics will include the essential time commitment required for students to be successful in college, and that time spent away from college studies should be limited to ensure academic success and access to the economic opportunities of STEM careers. Materials will be multi-lingual and designed with sensitivity to relevant cultural values and cultural norms of communication. The project will study ways to help students' families to understand the investment value for a college education, and thus be more willing and better able to provide emotional support and encouragement for completing college. The results will help to inform the nation's STEM education community about the role of family members in improving retention and degree completion among low-income and academically talented students.