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

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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.