Windows of Opportunity

机会之窗是一个奖学金项目，帮助有学术前途的低收入学生在迈阿密戴德学院（MDC）获得科学、技术、工程或数学（STEM）的文科或理科副学士学位。由于MDC拥有全国最大的学院或大学招生人数，包括最大的西班牙裔和非洲裔美国学生，该项目也为代表性不足的学生提供了机会之窗。每年至少有25名大一和大二的学生参加这个项目。完成课程后，学生可以转到高年级学校或直接进入他们选择的领域工作。MDC七个校区的合作将多元化和经验丰富的教育工作者、商业伙伴和学生聚集在一起。项目参与者将获得奖学金、STEM教师的指导、密集的学术和职业规划活动、与STEM专业人士在校内外的互动以及实习经历。项目评估包括与非项目参与者相比的学生成绩、保留率和毕业率，以及每学期的学生和教师调查，以及最终的学生退出调查。该项目通过介绍策略、最佳实践和学生成功率在全国范围内传播。该计划的门户网站也向公众开放。项目完成后，参与者将帮助填补迈阿密戴德县科学家和工程师的严重短缺。参与者不仅为南佛罗里达州做出了贡献，而且还为未来的STEM学生树立了榜样。

Windows of Opportunity is a scholarship program that assists academically promising, low-income students in obtaining Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) at Miami Dade College (MDC). Since MDC has the largest enrollment of any college or university in the country, including the largest enrollment of Hispanic and African American students, the project provides Windows of Opportunity for underrepresented students as well. A minimum of twenty-five freshman- and sophomore-level students participate in the program each year. Upon completion of the program, students are able to transfer to an upper-division school or enter the workforce directly in their chosen field. This collaborative of seven MDC campuses brings together a diverse and experienced group of educators, business partners and students. Program participants receive scholarships, mentoring by STEM faculty, intense academic and career planning activities, interactions with STEM professionals on and off campus, and internship experiences. The program evaluation encompasses student achievement, retention, and graduation rates compared to non-program participants, as well as student and faculty surveys each semester, and a final student exit survey. The project is disseminated nationally by presentations of strategies, best practices, and student success rates. The program's web portal is also publicly accessible. Upon completion of the program, participants help fill the critical shortage of scientists and engineers in Miami-Dade County. Participants not only make a contribution to South Florida, but also serve as role models to future STEM students.