Advancing Academic Success and Career Development for Talented, Low-Income Computer Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Majors

该项目将有助于通过提供财政，学术，社会和职业支持，以低收入的学术人才的学生在谢泼德大学表现出经济需求的多样化队列，在干领域受过良好教育的劳动力的准备。该项目将应用并加强以证据为基础的学生支持计划，提高52名学生（共126个奖学金）的多元化社区的教育成功，这些学生主修计算机科学，数学和工程系（CME）提供的学位课程：数据分析，数学，计算机信息科学，计算机信息技术，计算机工程或工程科学。该项目将评估这些学生支助对学生保留率和毕业率的有效性，预计其中许多人将是第一代、女性和转学生。该计划将确定并消除障碍，从而提高STEM学生目标人群的保留率。 学者将获得教师和同行的支持，并有机会参加学术，社会和专业活动，这将使他们能够突出自己的优势，并探索一些未来的选择。此外，该计划将加强谢泼德与商业，工业和政府机构的区域联盟，同时改善与当地高中和社区学院的联系。该项目有四个具体目标：（1）增加CME专业的入学率和保留率，（2）提高CME专业的四年毕业率，（3）增加毕业的S-STEM学者在毕业后六个月内找到工作或继续研究生学习的比例，以及（4）加强学生支持计划。该计划将通过加强与高中和社区大学的营销活动，以及通过各种学生俱乐部和比赛来招募学生。学者将通过竞争性的申请过程进行选择，并通过消除可能阻碍学者及时完成学位的财务和其他障碍来支持。被选中的学生将参加夏桥项目、实习、研究机会、职业发展服务、S-STEM研讨会以及与当地行业代表的互动。学生支持计划，如教师和同行指导，队列建设经验，研讨会和辅导，咨询和学习社区将允许该项目以思想和关怀解决学者的个人需求。Shepherd University将收集当前文献中发现的关键证据，以更好地了解学生成功的基本要素。此外，将采用定性和定量相结合的方法来扩大研究基础，了解几个学生支持计划和项目对STEM学生成功的影响。该项目的模型和研究结果将通过网站，社交媒体，出版物和会议演示文稿传播，旨在提高本科STEM学生的准备感兴趣的高等教育社区。该项目由NSF的科学，技术，工程和数学奖学金计划资助，该计划旨在增加低收入学术人才的数量，这些学生表现出经济需求，并获得STEM领域的学位。它还旨在改善未来STEM工作者的教育，并产生关于低收入学生的学术成功，保留，转移，毕业和学术/职业道路的知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will contribute to the preparation of a well-educated workforce in STEM fields by providing financial, academic, social, and career support to a diverse cohort of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need at Shepherd University. The project will apply and strengthen evidence-based student support programs that improve the educational success of a diverse community of 52 students (total of 126 scholarships) majoring in a degree program offered by the Department of Computer Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering (CME): Data Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Information Sciences, Computer Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or Engineering Science. The project will assess the effectiveness of these student supports on retention and graduation rates of scholars, many of whom are anticipated to be first generation, female, and transfer students. The program will identify and eliminate barriers, leading to improved retention of the targeted population of students in STEM. Scholars will receive support from faculty and peers and have the opportunity to participate in academic, social, and professional activities that will allow them to accentuate their strengths and explore a number of future options. Further, the program will enhance Shepherd’s regional alliance with business, industry, and government agencies while improving connections with local high schools and community colleges. The project has four specific objectives: (1) increase enrollment and retention of CME majors, (2) improve four-year graduation rate of CME majors, (3) increase the proportion of graduating S-STEM scholars who find employment, or continue to graduate studies, in their field within six months of graduation, and (4) enhance student support programs. The program will recruit students by enhancing marketing activities with high schools and community colleges, and through a variety of student clubs and competitions. Scholars will be selected through a competitive application process, supported by removing the financial and other barriers that can impede scholars’ progress towards timely completion of their degrees. The selected students will participate in summer bridge programs, internships, research opportunities, career development services, S-STEM seminars, and interactions with local industry representatives. Student support programs such as faculty and peer mentoring, cohort-building experiences, seminars and tutorials, counseling, and learning communities will allow the project to address scholars’ individual needs with thought and care. Shepherd University will gather critical evidence as found in the current literature to better understand essential elements for student success. Furthermore, mixed qualitative and quantitative approaches will be employed to extend the research base regarding what is known about the impact of several student support initiatives and programs on the success of STEM students. The project’s models and findings will be disseminated through websites, social media, publications, and conference presentations aimed at higher education communities interested in improving their preparation of undergraduate STEM students. 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.