Fostering Outstanding Cohorts in Undergraduate Science (FOCUS) Scholarships

该项目为有经济需要的生物学、生物化学或化学专业的本科生设立奖学金。该项目为本科学习的头两年提供奖学金，分三批，每批24名学生，在四年内共为72人提供服务。招聘的目标是录取高中生，选择的基础上结合学术准备，包括数学能力，并有资格获得基于需要的财政援助。奖学金的金额范围从$1，000到$7，000每学年取决于收件人的经济需要，与每年约$3，600平均奖。队列建设包括让受助人在每学期共同注册班级，并在大二期间参加一个特殊的“科学职业”研讨会课程。在职业生涯课程中，学生将获得职业建设活动的指导，包括与学术支持服务，研究导师的选择，申请实习以及探索科学中的伦理问题。该计划的学生定期与研究生导师会面，他们的主要研究领域，谁是导师和榜样，他们通过指导计划，有组织的实验室图尔斯和社会活动与研究人员联系。在他们的第二年，FOCUS队列成员协助连接到提供给大三或大四学生的机会，如奖学金机会，研究经验，和UNT麦克奈尔学士后成就计划。同行和导师社区的联系超出了奖学金期限，在整个本科学位课程中提供持续的学术和社会支持。智力价值拟议项目的智力价值包括汇集一个经验丰富的教育工作者和学生服务专业人员的团队，以培养一批本科理科专业。通过建立在大学现有的计划，研究人员正在开发一个可持续的计划，以创建一个同龄人社区，鼓励学生探索研究机会，并继续进入一个成功的科学生涯的目的。该项目旨在评估在生物学、生物化学和化学专业中，群体建设和指导活动对学生保留的有效性。更广泛的影响该项目的更广泛的影响包括开发一个可以输出到其他机构的学生成功的群体模型。该奖学金计划通过在前两年提供基于需求的经济援助沿着学术和社会支持，帮助来自各种背景的学生获得学士学位。增加招聘和留住来自不同背景的科学专业学生，为科学和技术的进步提供关键人才，从而使社会受益。

The project establishes scholarships for beginning undergraduate students with financial need who are majoring in biology, biochemistry, or chemistry. This project provides scholarships for the first two years of undergraduate study to three cohorts of 24 students each, serving a total of 72 individuals over four years. Recruitment is targeting matriculating high school students, with selection based on a combination of academic preparedness, including mathematics proficiency, and eligibility for need-based financial aid. Scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $7,000 per academic year dependent upon the financial need of the recipient, with an average award of approximately $3,600 per year. Cohort building includes having recipients co-enroll in class sections in each semester and attend a special "careers in sciences" seminar course during their sophomore year. In the careers course, students are given direction on career building activities, including connecting with academic support services, selection of research mentors, applying for internships, and exploring ethical issues in science. Students in the program meet regularly with graduate student mentors from their major area of study, who are available as tutors and role models, and they associate with research faculty through a mentoring program, organized lab tours, and social events. During their second year, FOCUS cohort members are assisted in connecting to opportunities available to juniors or seniors, such as scholarship opportunities, research experiences, and the UNT McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement program. The peer and mentor community connections extend beyond the scholarship period to provide continued academic and social support throughout the undergraduate degree program. Intellectual Merit The intellectual merit of the proposed project includes bringing together a team of experienced educators and student service professionals to foster a cohort of undergraduate science majors. By building on existing programs at the university, the investigators are developing a sustainable program for the purpose of creating a peer community that encourages students to explore research opportunities and continue into a successful science career. This project is evaluating the effectiveness of cohort-building and mentoring activities on retention of participants in the biology, biochemistry, and chemistry majors.Broader Impacts The broader impact of this program include the development of a cohort model for student success that can be exported to other institutions. This scholarship program assists students from a wide variety of backgrounds in obtaining their bachelor's degree by providing needs-based financial assistance along with academic and social support in their first two years. An increase in recruitment and retention of science majors from diverse backgrounds benefits society by providing critical personnel for the advancement of science and technology.