Support for Undergraduates at the Community College Engaged in STEM Studies

纽约萨福克社区学院正在通过支持社区学院从事科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)研究的本科生(SUCCESS)项目，满足全国对STEM毕业生的需求。Success将服务于一个拥有高密度高科技研究和工业机构的地区，以及该州一些在STEM中代表性不足的最大个人社区。该项目将吸引少数族裔和非传统学生进入STEM，并通过加强招聘、留住、毕业和转学来加强从高中到学士学位授予机构的渠道，以满足当地和国家STEM劳动力的需求。将通过播客、项目教师和学生在以STEM为基础的专业组织的地方、地区、国家和国际会议上发表演讲，传播关于留住、转移、学术和职业道路以及学位获得相关因素和活动的了解进展。结果将由国家公民参与和责任中心在他们的Sencer模型系列中公布，作为与更广泛的受众分享成功结果的场所。目前正在开展一项全面评价，以不断加强项目活动，并为研究和评价项目及其交付成果的成功情况以及分享最佳做法提供机会。Success旨在通过利用现有资源和开发新的支持和活动，扩大毕业、转业或进入STEM劳动力市场的低收入、有学术天赋的STEM学生的数量。年度奖项的数量将从第一年的35个开始，到项目结束时达到45个，产生206个奖项。超过86%的奖学金获得者将被保留，48%将毕业，50%将转学，分别比符合条件的非参与STEM学生高出20%、26%和18%。该计划将具有高度的选择性，因为只有大约8%的符合条件的学生将获得奖项。遴选将采用成功的程序，包括STEM教职员工的推荐信和个人论文。除了奖学金，获奖者还将受益于1)真实的研究、演讲和出版机会，2)通过使用技术提供专业建议、指导、辅导和社区建设，3)在线研究方法课程，以及4)通过社区建设提高奖学金获得者的留存能力。Success将利用以前和现有的STEM倡议，提供更多的方案间效益。先前的项目发现反映了科学教育文献，表明学生在真实的环境中学习最好，在有支持的社区中表现出色，并对新兴的STEM领域和环境表现出兴趣。许多研究强调了真实的学生研究和陈述机会、相关技术以及奖学金以外的额外支持的重要性，包括指导和辅导。因此，该计划的教学核心是一种积极的学习方法，包括在布鲁克海文国家实验室、石溪大学和校园等国家实验室进行真实的研究实习经验。

Suffolk Community College in New York is addressing the national need for graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates through the Support for Undergraduates at Community College Engaged in STEM Studies (SUCCESS) project. SUCCESS will serve a region containing a high density of high-technology research and industry institutions as well as some of the largest communities of individuals underrepresented in STEM in the state. The project will engage minority and non-traditional students in STEM and strengthen the pipeline from high school to baccalaureate degree-granting institutions by bolstering recruitment, retention, graduation, and transfer to meet local and national STEM workforce needs. Advances in understanding about the factors and activities associated with retention, transfer, academic and career pathways, and degree attainment will be disseminated through podcasts, project faculty, and student presentations at local, regional, national and international meetings of STEM-based professional organizations. Results will be published by the National Center for Civic Engagement and Responsibility in their SENCER Model Series as a venue to share SUCCESS results with a broader audience. A comprehensive evaluation is being developed to continuously enhance the project activities and provide opportunities for researching and evaluating the success of the project and its deliverables, as well as the sharing of best practices. SUCCESS is designed to expand the number of low-income, academically-talented STEM students who graduate, transfer, or enter the STEM workforce by leveraging existing resources and developing new support and activities. The number of annual awards will begin with 35 in the first year and culminate at 45 by the end of the project, resulting in 206 awards. More than 86% of scholarship recipients will be retained, 48% will graduate, and 50% will transfer, exceeding non-participating STEM students who are eligible counterparts by 20%, 26%, and 18%, respectively. The program will be highly selective as only about 8% of eligible students will receive awards. Selection will employ successful procedures including letters of recommendation from STEM faculty and a personal essay. In addition to scholarships, awardees will benefit from 1) authentic research, presentation, and publication opportunities, 2) professional advising, mentoring, tutoring, and community-building through the use of technology; 3) an online research methods course; and 4) improved retention through community-building among scholarship students. SUCCESS will leverage prior and existing STEM initiatives to provide additional inter-programmatic benefits. Prior project findings mirror the science education literature by indicating that students learn best in authentic settings, excel in communities with support, and show interest in emerging STEM fields and the environment. Many studies highlight the importance of authentic student research and presentation opportunities, relevant technology, and additional supports beyond scholarships, including mentoring and tutoring. Thus, the pedagogic centerpiece of the program is an active learning methodology that includes authentic research internship experiences at national laboratories including Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University, and on campus.