Collaborative Research: Partnership Pathways to Improve the Professional Preparation of Low-Income Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in Minnesota

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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 Augsburg University, Century College, Minneapolis College, and Normandale Community College. These undergraduate institutions serve populations that are 48-67% Pell-eligible and 40-62% students of color. Over 5 years, this project will fund scholarships and provide research opportunities for 195 unique full-time and part-time students who are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Food Science, Mathematics, and Physics. The project will recruit, retain, and support three 2-year scholar cohorts at the three community colleges who will enter a Minnesota STEM Transfer pathway leading to admission to a baccalaureate STEM program. The project will also recruit, retain, and support a 4-year scholar cohort at Augsburg University beginning at the start of upper-level STEM coursework leading to degree completion and transition to the STEM workforce or graduate education. This project builds on successful strategies for achieving early exposure to undergraduate research and internship experiences for students and supporting student professional development through cross-institutional partnerships, as well as partnership with workforce development programs.The overall goal of this project is to increase recruitment, retention, transfer, student success, graduation, and entry to the STEM workforce of low-income, high-achieving undergraduate STEM scholars with demonstrated financial need. The project builds on established theories regarding the importance and value of mentoring and other high impact practices (HIPs) such as involvement in undergraduate research and internships. It also recognizes that there is great talent and potential among students who begin their academic careers at community colleges. Scholars will be connected to internships and research experiences through SciTech, UpTurnships, MnDRIVE, and Augsburg University’s undergraduate research programs. Professional development for faculty mentors and assessment from the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) will provide data to develop new knowledge about how institutional and cross-institutional factors affect students and mentors across different social identities. Knowledge generation and evaluation utilizes the CIMER Assessment Platform, the Cultural Intelligence Scale, HIP quality and equity measures, and other institutional metrics for tracking transfers. 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.