Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholars

NSF科学，技术，工程和数学奖学金（S-STEM）计划将支持伊利诺伊州奥克顿社区学院表现出经济需求的高成就，低收入学生的保留和毕业。该项目旨在每年向至少47名在数学、物理科学、生物科学、工程或相关技术、或计算机科学和技术领域攻读学位的有学术才能、经济困难的学生颁发总共127个奖学金。该项目将提供队列学习经验，STEM/英语学习社区和STEM哲学课程，积极主动的咨询和教师指导。学者也将有机会参与本科研究项目和带薪实习。该计划旨在通过支持服务和STEM参与的整体计划，消除学生在参加具有挑战性的STEM课程时遇到的一些障碍。它将使用STEM学生参与和保留的最新最佳实践，开发新的编程，重点是支持STEM领域的低收入学生，以及统一现有的支持服务和活动。此外，通过使用更有目的的招聘策略，该计划还旨在扩大STEM学者的人才库。了解这种综合方法在社区学院一级的影响将有助于目前的知识基础上有效的做法，在干学生的成功。该项目产生的知识可能适用于其他社区学院，因为他们制定了招聘，参与，保留和毕业和/或转移STEM学生的策略。通过该项目与地区高中合作？咨询委员会将在整个地区推广共享的最佳做法。STEM学者计划有可能成为其他学院实施的模式，以提高STEM参与和保留。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

The NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program will support the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Oakton Community College in Illinois. This project aims to award a total of 127 yearly scholarships to at least 47 academically talented, financially needy students pursuing degrees in mathematics, physical sciences, biological sciences, engineering or related technologies, or computer science and technology. The project will provide cohort learning experiences, a STEM/English learning community and STEM philosophy course, proactive advising, and faculty mentoring. Scholars will also have opportunities to participate in undergraduate research projects and paid internships. The program is designed to remove some of the barriers that students encounter while enrolled in challenging STEM coursework through a holistic program of supportive services and STEM engagement. It will use the latest best practices for STEM student engagement and retention to develop novel programming focused on supporting low income students in STEM fields, as well as unifying existing support services and activities. Further, by using more intentional recruitment strategies this program also seeks to broaden the pool of STEM Scholars. Understanding the impact of this comprehensive approach at the community college level will contribute to the current knowledge base about effective practices in STEM student success. The knowledge generated by this project may be applicable to other community colleges as they develop strategies to recruit, engage, retain, and graduate and/or transfer STEM students. Collaboration with district high schools through the project?s Advisory Committee will promote shared best practices throughout the district. The STEM Scholars program has the potential to serve as a model that could be implemented by other colleges to improve STEM engagement and retention.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.