Math/Science Student Preparation and Retention Collaborative

学生准备和保留合作组织(SPARC)正在为佐治亚州农村和市中心学校的两批7至8名在社会经济上处于不利地位的优秀女性提供财政和方案支持，这些女性来自佐治亚州的农村和市中心学校，完成卫斯理学院生物、化学或数学专业的四年本科学业。佐治亚州对SPARC的需求很大，那里的高中数学和科学成绩在种族和社会经济地位方面存在差异。该学院目前在招收和留住多元化学生群体方面的成功为支持SPARC学者提供了理想的环境。自1836年以来，卫斯理学院一直强调科学和古典教育在女性教育中的重要性。这段历史给现代带来了好处，因为超过76%的自然科学和数学毕业生攻读高级学位或受雇于数学或与科学相关的职业。在这些毕业生中，25%是有色人种女性。智力优势：奖学金学生得到以下方面的支持：综合学术支持；教师、同行和校友指导；夏季学术新兵训练营；以及早期参与本科生研究。作为这些计划的结果，预计80%的这些学者将毕业，其中90%的毕业生将在STEM领域深造或就业。更广泛的影响：该项目正在增加拥有生物、化学或数学学位的女性在全国范围内的多样性，为采用较小学习社区的其他较大机构的倡议设计提供信息，并鼓励保留在数学和科学领域。新兵训练营正在为夏季本科生的学业准备提供模式，并帮助学生培养对数学和科学学习的热情和信心。

The Student Preparation and Retention Collaborative (SPARC) is providing financial and programmatic support for two cohorts of 7 to 8 high achieving, socioeconomically disadvantaged women from rural and inner city schools in Georgia through four years of a Wesleyan College undergraduate major in Biology, Chemistry, or Mathematics. The need for SPARC is great in Georgia, where there is a disparity in high school mathematics and science achievement in terms of race and socioeconomic status. The current success of the college in recruiting and retaining a diverse student body provides an ideal environment to support SPARC Scholars. Since 1836, Wesleyan College has emphasized the importance of science as well as classical learning in the education of women. This history has paid modern benefits since over seventy-six percent of natural science and mathematics graduates pursue advanced degrees or are employed in mathematics or science-related occupations. Of these graduates, twenty-five percent are women of color.Intellectual merit: Scholarship students receive the following: integrated academic support; faculty, peer and alumnae mentoring; summer academic boot camps; and early engagement in undergraduate research are being provided. As a result of these programs, it is anticipated that eighty percent of these scholars will graduate and ninety percent of these graduates will pursue advanced study or employment in STEM fields. Broader Impact: The project is increasing the national diversity of women who graduate with degrees in Biology, Chemistry or Mathematics, informing the design of initiatives at other, larger institutions that have adopted smaller learning communities, and encouraging retention in mathematics and science fields. Boot camps are providing models for summer undergraduate academic preparation and helping students develop enthusiasm for and confidence in the study of math and science.