Overcoming the Challenges to the Science Education of a Liberal Arts College for Economically Disadvantaged Students

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The significance of this NSF Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM) project at Stonehill College is its contribution to the success of a larger and more diverse population of STEM students which thereby supports a more effective STEM workforce, particularly in southeastern Massachusetts. The effort targets academically-talented students who face economic and academic barriers to completing their STEM degrees. This S-STEM project is supporting 30 students from two populations: 1) first-year Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Neuroscience, Environmental Science and Biochemistry majors entering their sophomore year and 2) Community College students entering Stonehill as juniors in the same STEM majors.The scope of the work involves six key recruitment and retention strategies: 1) scholarship support; 2) improved admissions and transfer processes for STEM community college students; 3) early research experiences that provide access to faculty mentors and hands-on research techniques at critical undergraduate moments; 4) enhanced mentoring, tutoring and advising, in particular using a "community of practice" model that allows students to maintain close connections during their time on campus; 5) early exposure to science professionals from similar backgrounds and career preparation; and 6) faculty training through a faculty learning community focused on successful teaching and mentoring of underrepresented students. This project is serving as a model illustrating how private liberal arts colleges can collaborate with community colleges to improve transfer access and illustrating how financial support, research opportunities, cohort building, career guidance and personal mentoring can assure that underrepresented students graduate with STEM degrees. Best practices will be shared through local and national professional conferences, publication in educational journals, a workshop and a webinar.