Retaining and Graduating Low-Income Biology Students in STEM through Career Development and Discipline-specific Academic Support

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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. The project will provide scholarships to 26 undergraduate students pursuing degrees in biology at Dominican College, a four-year Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). The project aims to increase student retention in biology and science career pathways by linking scholarships with supporting activities, including mentoring, undergraduate research, and academic support. New biology courses will introduce students to emerging biological disciplines, as well as science communication and career planning. Evaluation of the effort in the context of an HSI has the potential to generate insights into supporting low-income students in STEM and increasing diversity in STEM fields.The overall goal of the project is to increase degree completion of low-income, high-achieving undergraduates in biology through three specific goals. First, the project will recruit 26 first-year, low-income students planning to major in biology as S-STEM scholars. Second, the project aims to graduate at least 90% of these students within four years of matriculation. Third, the project has the goal that at least 90% of scholars will secure STEM employment or graduate school placement in the region within six months of graduation. Guided by lessons learned from a previous S-STEM program on the campus, program design is grounded in research-based practices, including STEM faculty professional development in active learning and inclusive teaching practices, course-based research experiences integrated in first-year biology courses, and strong connections to local industry representatives and STEM researchers from larger area institutions. Additionally, S-STEM scholars will experience two new biology major courses – both of which emphasize professional and career skill development – together as a cohort during their freshman year. Scholars will further be supported by peer- and faculty-mentors, as well as shared academic and research experiences as cohorts throughout their undergraduate experiences. The project will investigate how discipline-specific academic and career development supports may increase low-income student retention and persistence in STEM. Project evaluation will be guided by a logic model, scholar surveys, activity participation tracking, STEM course performance, and institutional data about scholar persistence in the biology major. Results of the project could yield insights about the model that would be relevant for other similar institutions. Disseminated will be accomplished through peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, and the institutional website and social media. 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.