Patching the Pipeline: Scholarships for Associate-Degree Transfer Students in the Sciences

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The goal of this project at Southern Polytechnic State University is to provide scholarships and academic support in order to patch a leak in the STEM pipeline, specifically the loss of transfer students. The project operates using a twelve-point outline of actions focused on recruiting and retaining transfer students. The intellectual merit of this plan lies in the design, implementation, and evaluation of methods aimed at increasing the successful matriculation and graduation of A.S.-to-B.S. STEM students. The project builds on previous research identifying factors that lead to the loss of STEM students in such transitions. The project also systematically investigates support mechanisms to remediate this difficult transition. The evaluation component is well designed and will produce ongoing feedback as well as cost-effective programs that can be sustained beyond the grant period. Several broader impacts result from this project. First, the number of talented, low-income students entering STEM professions is increased. Secondly, this project undertakes a systematic investigation of institutional efforts to successfully smooth the difficult transition from two year to four year schools. Third, due to the well planned evaluation component, this project is positioned to disseminate information to relevant stakeholders so that students at other institutions may make this transition more easily and effectively.