GP-UP: Building a GeoFORCE Learning Community to Attract, Prepare, and Retain Rural, Alaska Native, and First-Generation STEM Majors

GeoFORCE Alaska是一个为期四年、以实地为基础的夏季地球科学项目，有吸引代表不足的学生进入阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯大学(UAF)的记录。该计划得到了行业赞助商和在阿拉斯加北部和内陆拥有权益或股东的阿拉斯加土著公司的支持。随着我们准备迎接空前数量的GeoFORCE阿拉斯加毕业生来到UAF，我们寻求通过将数字地图和语言艺术纳入暑期课程并在UAF建立本科生学习社区来增加准备和留住学生。这个GeoFORCE校友学习社区将提供补充指导、社交网络和财政支持的机会，以提高阿拉斯加的大学保留率和毕业率，并实现劳动力多样化的目标。前两个队列的结果表明，作为提高阿拉斯加偏远村庄高中毕业率和增加农村、阿拉斯加原住民、女性和第一代大学生参与STEM专业的一种手段，GeoFORCE阿拉斯加是一种非常有效的手段。然而，GeoFORCE还没有实现目标3。校友追踪显示，完成学位面临重大障碍，包括：1)缺乏准备，导致进入发展数学和写作课程；2)难以适应校园生活；3)经济困难。为了在GeoFORCE校友之间建立一个强大的学习社区，我们将采用共同的课程建设、近距离同行指导、奖学金和社交活动。大一和大二的学生将参加数学、写作和地球科学入门课程。作为学长，这些学生将有资格担任GeoFORCE顾问和指导下一波农村地球科学专业的学生。训练有素的辅导员和一名高中英语教师将帮助学生掌握项目建设的技术和叙事元素。拥有STEM学位的阿拉斯加农村学生为有关土地管理和资源开采的决策带来了宝贵的视角。加强学生准备，并为GeoFORCE校友建立一个综合的学术、社会和财务支持系统，有可能提高阿拉斯加原住民、女性和来自农村社区的第一代学生的大学成功。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

GeoFORCE Alaska is a four-year, field-based, summer geoscience program with a record of attracting underrepresented students to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). The program is supported by industry sponsors and Alaska Native Corporations with interests or shareholders in northern and interior Alaska. As we prepare to welcome an unprecedented number of GeoFORCE Alaska graduates to UAF, we seek to increase both preparation and retention by incorporating digital mapping and Language Arts into the summer program and building an undergraduate learning community at UAF. This GeoFORCE Alumni Learning Community will provide opportunities for supplemental instruction, social networking, and financial support in order to increase college retention and graduation rates and realize the goal of workforce diversification in Alaska.The goals of GeoFORCE Alaska are: 1) Promote high school graduation; 2) Increase the number of rural students attending college and pursuing STEM degrees; and 3) Diversify Alaska’s technical workforce. Results of the first two cohorts indicate that GeoFORCE Alaska is highly effective as a means of raising high school graduation rates in remote Alaskan villages and increasing the participation of rural, Alaska Native, female, and first-generation college students in STEM majors. However, GeoFORCE has yet to accomplish goal 3. Alumni tracking reveals significant barriers to degree completion, including: 1) lack of preparation, leading to placement in developmental Math and Writing courses; 2) difficulty adapting to campus life; and 3) financial struggles. To forge a strong learning community among GeoFORCE alumni, we will employ common course construction, near-peer mentoring, scholarships, and social activities. Freshman and Sophomores will enroll in blocks of Math, Writing, and introductory Geoscience courses. As upperclassmen, these students will be eligible to serve as GeoFORCE counselors and mentor the next wave of rural Geoscience majors. Trained counselors and a high school English teacher will assist students with technological and narrative elements of project construction. Rural Alaskan students with STEM degrees bring valuable perspectives to decisions regarding land management and resource extraction. Enhancing student preparation and building an integrated academic, social, and financial support system for GeoFORCE alumni has the potential to increase college success among Alaska Native, female, and first-generation students from rural communities.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.