Implementation Project: A STEM Innovation Ecosystem to Enhance Persistence, Retention, and Graduation Rates in Underrepresented Minority Students

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Implementation Projects in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) provide support to design, implement, study, and assess comprehensive institutional efforts to increase the numbers of students and the quality of their preparation by strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and research. This implementation project at Livingstone College seeks to expand the use of the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) model and study its effect in retention, graduation, and graduate school/career choice among underrepresented minority (URM) freshmen students. The project is grounded in evidence-based practices and the extent to which these endeavors are integrated on the campus of Livingstone College has the potential to transform the STEM education and research capacity of the institution, and advance knowledge in STEM education.The project aims to 1) enhance student engagement and research through an innovation ecosystem, 2) mitigate barriers to baccalaureate critical transition points through socially cognitive STEM course-based interventions and 3) establish a STEM Entrepreneurship Learning Community. Through course-based undergraduate research experiences, faculty professional development in pedagogical and curricular practices associated with SCCT, holistic learning activities, and the creation of a “Science Mastermind”, the project will investigate through a quasi-experimental design to what extent and which combination of support structures deepen URM students’ interests in math and science. Further, the project will analyze to what extent do these deeper interests drive self-efficacy and outcome expectations in ways that ultimately yield stronger outcomes. Understanding these strategies will enable stakeholders to more rigorously evaluate STEM programs that develop scientific entrepreneurship, the efficacy of the support activities, and the correlation of these activities with student retention and continuity in STEM Innovation and Research.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.