FOCUS: Fostering Opportunities for Community, Understanding, and Success in STEM

Concordia University at Moorhead将开发促进社区，理解和成功的机会（FOCUS），该项目将通过制定和实施吸引，准备和保留学术人才的战略来扩大STEM劳动力，低收入学生进入STEM职业生涯。该计划的具体目标是制定（1）有文化针对性的招聘策略，以吸引广泛的合格申请人，（2）学术和社会支持系统，专注于留住学生，让他们蓬勃发展，以及（3）职业经验，这将为学生毕业后的成功做好准备。FOCUS项目将制定可扩展的战略，用于招募，准备和留住学术才华，低收入学生从事STEM职业。两批12名学生将获得奖学金和综合高影响力的学习实践的支持，如第一年的研讨会，学习社区，写作密集型课程，研究和服务学习。学生将得到学术服务，教师导师和同行导师的支持。招生策略将针对来自新美国家庭的有才华的学生。专业准备将突出为期四年的职业发展计划，将机会意识与研究职位，工作阴影，专业STEM导师和带薪实习相结合。知识生成活动将解决高影响力的学习实践和其他支持活动的整合如何影响学生在大学内外的STEM成功，以及这种治疗有效的条件。

Concordia University at Moorhead will develop Fostering Opportunities for Community, Understanding, and Success (FOCUS), a project that will expand the STEM workforce by developing and implementing strategies that attract, prepare, and retain academically talented, low-income students into STEM careers. Specific objectives of the program are to develop (1) culturally targeted recruiting strategies to attract a broad range of eligible applicants, (2) academic and social support systems focused on retaining students and allowing them to flourish, and (3) vocational experiences that will prepare students for post-graduation success. The FOCUS project will develop scalable strategies for recruiting, preparing, and retaining academically talented, low-income students for careers in STEM. Two cohorts of 12 students will be supported by scholarships and integrated high-impact learning practices such as first-year seminars, learning communities, writing-intensive courses, research, and service learning. Students will be supported by academic services, faculty mentors, and peer mentors. Recruiting strategies will be targeted toward talented students from new American families. Professional preparation will highlight four-year career development programs that integrate awareness of opportunities with research positions, job shadowing, professional STEM mentorships, and paid internships. Knowledge-generating activities will address how the integration of high-impact learning practices and other supporting activities affect student success in STEM both at the university and beyond, and the conditions under which such treatments are effective.