Recruit and Retain Through Enriched Educational Programs

在国家科学基金会(NSF)通过历史黑人学院和大学本科项目(HBCU-UP)的支持下，路易斯安那州泽维尔大学将实施一项全面的计划，通过丰富的教育计划(RREEP)招收和留住合格的少数族裔高中生。研究证实，在全国范围内，只有不到10%的非裔美国人获得了STEM专业的学士学位。与总人口中28%的少数民族代表相比，只有不到5%的人在科学和技术工作大军中。这些小比例可以归因于一系列因素，包括缺乏教员指导，建议不足，最重要的是，K-12学校在科学和数学教育方面存在不足。泽维尔在NSF的支持下提出了一个解决方案，通过RREEP遵循有针对性的目标和目的。这项提议的目标是：i)提高少数族裔在STEM学科中的保留率，ii)增加泽维尔大学化学、计算机科学、工程、数学或物理专业的非裔美国学生的数量，并有助于增加进入这些学科劳动力大军的非裔美国人的数量。为了支持这些目标，泽维尔确定了具体目标。这些目标是：i)将STEM学生在发展数学课程中的成功率从50%提高到75%；ii)将STEM学生在把关课程中的成功率从60%提高到75%；以及iii)在未来五年内将选定的STEM学科的整体入学人数增加60%。泽维尔大学在科学教育方面有着悠久的成功传统(特别是在为学生进入医学院做准备方面)，这使它在实现这些目标和对STEM劳动力产生重大影响方面处于独特的地位。该提案概述了一个综合方案，该方案将在调整和加强已有的成功方案的同时，协助该大学实现上述目标。该项目包括以下活动：a)为准备不足的学生开发新的夏季桥牌课程；b)调整目前的暑期桥牌课程；c)通过为科学和数学教师举办暑期/周六讲习班，与当地初中和高中合作；以及d)加强/改进STEM学科中发展数学和把关课程所使用的教学法。智力优势：拟议的改进的教学结构将导致泽维尔大学学生更高的保留率和更高的成绩水平。这可以作为其他机构的典范。广泛的影响：拟议的周六在职教师讲习班将：一)增加数学和科学教师的知识和技能，二)促进新奥尔良地区学校和泽维尔大学之间的合作。此外，建议的高中访问将加强高中生对STEM学科就业机会的了解。此外，该项目将增加参加美国STEM学科劳动力大军的少数族裔人数。

With the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), Xavier University of Louisiana will implement a comprehensive program to Recruit and Retain qualified minority high school students through Enriched Educational Programs (RREEP). Studies have confirmed that, nationally, less than 10% of the African Americans receive their bachelors degrees in STEM disciplines. Compared to the 28% minority representation in the entire population less than 5% percent are in the science and technical work force. These small percentages can be attributed to a number of factors that include a lack of faculty mentoring, inadequate advising and, most of all, inadequacies in science and mathematics education in K-12 schools. Xavier proposes a solution to this problem with support from NSF by following targeted goals and objectives through RREEP. The goals of this proposal are to: i) increase the retention rate of minorities in the STEM disciplines and ii) increase the number of African American students at Xavier who major in chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, or physics, and contribute towards increasing the number of African Americans entering to the work force in these disciplines. In support of these goals, Xavier has identified specific objectives. These objectives are to: i) increase the successful completion rate of STEM students in developmental mathematics courses from 50% to 75%; ii) increase the successful completion rate of STEM students in gate keeping courses from 60% to 75%; and iii) increase the overall enrollment in selected STEM disciplines by 60% over the next five years. Xavier University has a long tradition of success in science education (especially in the preparation of students for medical school) places it in a unique position to achieve these goals and to make a significant impact on the STEM workforce. This proposal outlines a comprehensive program that will assist the University in achieving the above-stated goals as it adapts and enhances the successful programs already in place. This project includes activities to: a) develop a new summer bridge program for under-prepared students b) restructure a current summer bridge program, c) collaborate with local middle and high schools through summer/Saturday workshops for science and mathematics teachers, and d) enhance/improve the pedagogy used in developmental mathematics and gate keeping courses in the STEM disciplines. Intellectual Merit: The improved instructional structure proposed will result in a higher retention rate and higher achievement levels of the students at Xavier University. This can serve as a model for other institutions.Broader impact: The proposed Saturday workshops for in-service teachers will i) increase the knowledge and skills of the math and science teachers and ii) improve the collaborations between New Orleans area schools and Xavier University. Furthermore, the proposed high school visitations will enhance the understanding of the career opportunities in STEM disciplines by high school students. Additionally, this project will result in an increase in the number of minorities participating in the work force in the US in the STEM disciplines.