STEM BUILD 2.0 at UBMC

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The overall core of the STEM BUILD 2.0 at UMBC initiative (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2024) is to implement, scale, and sustain through institutional change and integration into the academic core the interventions and best practices found to be of significant impact to undergraduate academic success, persistence, and readiness to matriculate into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate programs and/or employment opportunities, especially those related to biomedical research. Capacity, scalability, and sustainability (i.e., infrastructure) coupled with collective impact forms the foundation of all decisions of this initiative, as we envision the advantages and opportunities of individual scholar programs applied to all students. We will pursue our vision in three ways and use the Pathways to STEM Success model for evaluation. Institutional Development – Build and permanentize the infrastructure to implement scalable interventions that effectively boost undergraduate performance and persistence in STEM fields. These early interventions include approaches to build community, effective academic and career advising, research education and experiences, and culturally-sensitive faculty. Better-trained students will increase the number of underrepresented minorities pursuing post-graduate degrees while increasing the productivity of faculty researchers. Research Education – Design and implement a strategically coordinated group of academic and research education courses to overcome the challenges that promising students often encounter (e.g., limited positions for internships and undergraduate research positions for which students in scholars’ programs are favored). Infusing these courses into the fabric of the academic core increases the capacity (through BUILD Group Research, STEM and research readiness/practicum modules, and curriculum-based undergraduate research experiences) for all students to have an applied learning experience, which is critical to student success, persistence and scientific efficacy. Student Training Core – Reimagine the BUILD Training Program (BTP) as a two-year training phase followed by a two-year affiliate phase to ensure that promising students are retained in STEM majors and better prepared for post baccalaureate, graduate, or professional programs, with an emphasis on biomedical and behavioral research. This “2 year within a 4 year” model for direct entry students targets the times they are at most risk for switching from STEM majors or leaving the university. The model aligns well with the pathways of transfer students, who enter with associates degrees from their sending institutions. Such an approach is the basis for a comprehensive model for a public university to engage promising, at-risk students and help them develop the skills, experience and motivation to excel in STEM programs and eventually diversity the biomedical research workforce. STEM BUILD 2.0 will continue to proceed under the motto of “500, not 50”, as we envision a new approach to give all students the opportunity of a scholar program’s experience.