Louis Stokes New STEM Pathways and Research Alliance-Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP)

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The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in diversifying the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce through their efforts at significantly increasing the numbers of students from historically underrepresented groups (African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders) to successfully complete high quality degree programs in STEM. The Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP), a STEM Pathways and Research Alliance, has been supported by LSAMP funding since 2005 and will build on their successful work to provide a holistic approach to student success in STEM based on a Multilevel Strength-based model, including emphases on research and a multimodal mentoring plan, that also addresses non-cognitive abilities. The work of the MI-LSAMP Alliance supports developing a more diverse and skilled STEM workforce, a strong need for Michigan and for the Nation.The MI-LSAMP Alliance consists of four, 4-year institutions (University of Michigan, lead institution; Michigan State University; Wayne State University; Western Michigan University) and two community colleges (Mott Community College and Washtenaw Community College). The overall goal of the Alliance is to increase four year degree production in STEM, by African Americans and other historically underrepresented groups, by 20%. This goal will be achieved by activities focused on increasing degrees earned at both community colleges and four year institutions, increasing numbers of students transferring from two year to four year programs, and increasing numbers of students matriculating in graduate programs in STEM. The Alliance has developed a holistic, cohort-based approach, the NXTGen STEM Scholars Program, where students start out together in a summer program before entering the four year institution and have continued support throughout the academic year and through graduation, including research experiences. Professional and personal development for students will include individual development plans, experiential learning, peer mentoring, culturally responsible financial advising. The Alliance’s knowledge generating research study is focused on investigating which strength based interventions, at the institutional, program and personal level, are most effective in broadening participation in STEM. Baseline survey data of MI-LSAMP participants will initially be collected with longitudinal follow-up data collection, from both MI-LSAMP participants and comparable non-participating students in STEM at Alliance institutions. The research is complementary to project evaluation with a focus on testing the theories underlying the Alliance components.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.