Within Our Reach: Leveraging Scholarships and Supports to Increase Community College Student Engagement, Capacity, and Continuity in STEM

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This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at the Community College of Aurora, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Over its five-year duration, this project will fund scholarships of up to three years to at least 80 unique full time and part time students. These Scholars will be supported in a cohort of Scholars pursing Associate of Science degrees (Chemistry, Engineering, Geology, Mathematics, Physics) or a cohort of Scholars pursuing Associate of Applied Science degrees (Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Cyber Security, IT & Tech Support, Computer Networking, and Computer Programming). The project aims to address critical attrition points for STEM students by providing financial resources, supporting academic success, and growing STEM identity. The project will expand on outcomes and lessons learned from previous NSF-supported projects by including new peer-to-peer support elements. Potential broader impacts of this project include: increased numbers of STEM students transferring to and achieving success at four-year institutions; an increase in the diversity of the local STEM workforce; and contributions to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education’s Master Plan strategies to increase STEM credential attainment, particularly among Hispanic and Black students. The overall goal of this project is to increase STEM degree completion of low-income, high-achieving undergraduates with demonstrated financial need by empowering students to take a focused, deliberate approach to the academic and career readiness steps needed to realize the potential of their talent. To achieve this goal, the project will utilize evidence-based strategies and build on existing initiatives, including the ECC Trilogy model of engagement, capacity, and continuity, which serves as a framework for the College’s overall STEM programming and co-curricular activities. As a result, the Scholars will have access to a suite of cohort-based support services aimed to expand awareness of STEM career opportunities and enhance their capacity to pursue STEM education and career pathways. The project will implement a new peer-to-peer support model, including teaching assistantships and peer mentoring, designed to build Scholars’ leadership skills, foster positive STEM identities, and increase connection with the college community. The project results are expected to inform improvements in STEM faculty and student support strategies by evaluating the impacts of peer support, advising, and co-curricular activities on community college student degree completion and transfer outcomes. Project resources and results will be disseminated locally and nationally through presentations, workshops, and publications. This project is funded by NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.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.