Increasing the Number of Regional Community College Graduates and Active Duty Military Personnel, Veterans and Dependents Enrolling in and Completing a STEM Baccalaureate Degree

该项目与奥斯汀皮伊州立大学（APSU）、哥伦比亚州立社区学院、志愿州立社区学院、纳什维尔州立社区学院以及位于坎贝尔堡军事基地（肯塔基州坎贝尔堡）的APSU中心合作，以增加从地区社区学院和军事服务转到APSU四年制STEM学位的学生的数量和毕业率。该奖学金计划每年提供15-30个奖学金，学生获得一到三年的支持。奖学金计划的目标是：-提高在社区学院完成副学士学位后转到APSU的学生的毕业率；-增加社区学院学生攻读STEM学科学士学位的人数；-增加现役军人、退伍军人和家属注册并完成STEM学科学士学位的人数；与学生一起尽早确定职业道路，帮助他们在完成学士学位后立即成功过渡到工作或研究生院。该项目探讨了为社区大学和军事学生提供经济、学术、职业和社会支持对进入四年制STEM项目的学生数量及其成功率的影响。用于提高转校生和有军事背景的学生成功的核心支持结构包括：夏季桥梁计划；S-STEM学生一起住在新宿舍的一侧：每月与指定的教师导师会面；鼓励奖学金学生成为同侪导师；包括在APSU STEM活动中的合作社区学院；以及STEM学科/行业/职业的个人研讨会。在APSU及其合作机构所服务的地理区域内，STEM学科的大学生数量不足以满足该地区的预计需求。一个特别的需求是由于Hemlock半导体最近在田纳西州克拉克斯维尔（APSU所在地）投资12亿美元的工厂开业。预计这个大型多晶硅生产设施的开放将吸引其他高科技产业到该地区，这将在未来需要更多的STEM毕业生。

This project partners Austin Peay State University (APSU) with Columbia State Community College, Volunteer State Community College, Nashville State Community College, and the APSU Center located on the Fort Campbell Military Base (in Fort Campbell, KY) in order to increase the number and graduation rates of students transferring from regional community colleges and from military service to four-year STEM degrees at APSU. The scholarship program offers 15-30 scholarships per year, with students receiving support for one to three years.Objectives of the scholarship program are to: - improve the graduation rate of students that transfer to APSU after completing an Associate of Science degree at a community college; - increase the number of community college students seeking a B.S. in a STEM discipline; - increase the number of Active Duty Military Personnel, Veterans and Dependents enrolling and completing a B.S. in a STEM Discipline; and - work with students to identify career paths early and help them successfully transition to either a job or graduate school immediately upon completing their B.S.The project explores the effect that providing financial, academic, career and social support to community college and military students has on the number of students entering four-year STEM programs and their success rate in these programs. Core support structures used to increase success for transfer students and students with military backgrounds include: a Summer Bridge Program; S-STEM students living together in a wing of a new dormitory: monthly meetings with an assigned faculty mentor; encouragement of scholarship students to become peer mentors; including partner community colleges in APSU STEM events; and seminars by individuals in STEM disciplines/industry/careers.In the geographic area served by APSU and the partner institutions, there are insufficient college students in STEM disciplines to meet the projected needs of the region. A particular need is due to the recent opening by Hemlock Semiconductor of a $1.2 billion facility in Clarksville TN (the home of APSU). It is anticipated that the opening of this large polysilicon producing facility will attract other high tech industry to the region that will require additional STEM graduates in the future.