The Vikings Enhancing STEM Innovation and Collaboration (VESTEMic) Model

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Implementation projects provide support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to design, implement, and assess strategies that can lead to comprehensive institutional efforts to increase the number of students receiving undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and enhance the quality of their preparation by strengthening STEM education and research. The project at Elizabeth City State University seeks to further strengthen programs for building STEM student success. The goal of the project is to design pathways to increase the numbers of students pursuing STEM majors and the quality of their preparation into graduate programs and careers. Activities that are part of this project are: a pre-college summer program that includes incoming freshmen, K-12 teachers and parents; a sophomore bridge program to address the critical transition from the freshman to the sophomore year; a STEM innovation lab to develop creative approaches to teaching STEM undergraduate courses; and hierarchical mentoring for undergraduate students. The activities and strategies are evidence-based and what is learned through this project can serve as a model for other small liberal arts institutions.