Implementation Project: Transforming STEM Education at the University of the District of Columbia by Establishing a General Science Degree

传统黑人学院和大学的实施项目-本科计划（HBCU-UP）为设计，实施，研究和评估全面的机构努力提供支持，通过加强科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教育和研究来增加学生人数和他们的准备质量。哥伦比亚特区大学（UDC）是一所公立、城市、赠地的HBCU，该项目侧重于开发普通科学学士学位（GSB），并提供旨在留住学生的支持活动。该学位旨在为本科生在许多专业科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域的就业市场和研究生院做好准备，包括STEM教师的准备。GSB学位旨在为学生提供一个探索和利用UDC文理学院、农业、城市可持续发展和环境科学学院以及工程与应用科学学院各种课程的机会。该项目的总体目标是增加来自历史上被边缘化群体的学生从事科学事业的人数。目标是(1)创建和实施一个普通科学学士学位 学位，(2)为GSB学位制定和执行一个专门的招聘和招生计划，(3)提供一个全面的丰富计划和围绕活动，包括学生研究，旨在保留STEM专业，以及(4)对项目的影响进行教育研究。相关混合方法研究旨在显示GSB学位课程实施补充学习经验并提供研究机会是否会改变学生作为STEM专业的持久性，观念和身份，并调查其影响。该项目由内部指导委员会和外部咨询委员会以及形成性评价过程指导。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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 project at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), a public, urban, land-grant HBCU, focuses on developing a General Science Baccalaureate (GSB) degree with supporting activities aimed at retaining students. This degree seeks to allow flexibility in preparing undergraduate students for the job market and graduate school in many specialized science, technology, and engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, including STEM teacher preparation. The GSB degree seeks to provide students an opportunity to explore and take advantage of the diverse course offerings across UDC’s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences, and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.The project's overall goal is to increase the number of students from historically marginalized groups pursuing science careers. The objectives are to (1) create and implement a General Science Baccalaureate degree, (2) develop and execute a dedicated recruitment and enrollment program for the GSB degree, (3) offer a comprehensive enrichment program and wrap-around activities, including student research, aimed at retention of STEM majors, and (4) conduct an education research study on the impacts of the project. The correlational mixed-method research study is designed to show if a GSB degree program that implements supplemental learning experiences and provides research opportunities will change a student's persistence and perceptions and identity as a STEM major and investigate the effects. The project is guided by an internal steering committee and an external advisory board, as well as by the process of formative evaluation.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.