Targeted Infusion Project: Establishment of an Undergraduate Peer-Mentor Project-Based Program in STEM at Texas Southern University

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科生计划（HBCU-UP），通过有针对性的输液项目，支持开发，实施和基于证据的创新模式和方法的研究，以提高HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们可以追求STEM研究生课程和/或职业。德克萨斯南方大学（大津）的项目旨在建立一个本科生同伴指导计划（UPMP），以提高一年级STEM学生的成绩。拟议的计划将包括一个基于同行的指导计划，并利用基于STEM的资源将联合收割机转化研究经验结合起来。 该计划有可能成为提高STEM学科保留率的国家模式，提高毕业率，并提高继续进入研究生院和STEM劳动力的学生数量和学术准备。该计划的总体目标是提高在STEM领域攻读学位的代表性不足的本科生的保留率和学术准备。具体目标是增加从代表性不足的群体毕业的STEM学位的人数;提高保留率，包括传统上代表性不足的群体，在本科教育的前两年STEM专业;并加强STEM学生的研究生院和/或劳动力的学术准备。本科生同侪指导计划（UPMP）有两个组成部分，包括教育部门（阿尔马）和实验研究部门（ARMb），强调核心STEM学科中的基础学科，包括物理，化学，生物学和数学。该项目将基于主动学习实践的基础，使用受过培训的本科生导师为新生和高年级STEM学生使用核心STEM课程进行结构化课程。除了同行指导，本科生也将接触到教师指导的研究经验。预计该计划将提高大津州立大学的STEM教育质量，并可在大津州立大学和其他大学推广。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), through Targeted Infusion Projects, supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. The project at Texas Southern University (TSU) seeks to establish an Undergraduate Peer-Mentoring Program (UPMP) that will improve outcomes for first-year STEM students. The proposed program will incorporate a peer-based mentoring program and combine translational research experiences utilizing STEM-based resources. This program has the potential to serve as a national model for improving retention in STEM subjects, increase graduation rates, and enhance the number and academic preparedness of students who go on to graduate school and the STEM workforce.The overall goal of the program is to improve the retention and academic preparedness of underrepresented undergraduate students working toward degrees in STEM fields. The specific objectives are to increase the number of individuals from underrepresented groups that graduate with STEM degrees; improve retention rates, including among groups traditionally underrepresented, in STEM majors during the first two years of undergraduate education; and enhance academic preparedness of STEM students for graduate school and/or workforce. The Undergraduate Peer-Mentoring Program (UPMP) has two components consisting of an educational arm (ARMa) and an experimental research arm (ARMb), which emphasizes foundational subject matter within core STEM disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics. The project will be based on a foundation of active learning practices using trained undergraduate mentors in structured sessions for freshmen and upperclassmen STEM students using core STEM courses. In addition to peer-mentoring, undergraduates will also be exposed to faculty-mentored research experiences. It is anticipated that this program will enhance the quality of STEM education at TSU and could be expanded both at TSU and implemented at other universities.