Diversification and Retention: Creating New Paths of Success for STEM Scholars in Mechanical Engineering

马里兰州巴尔的摩县大学的这一项目正在为经济上处于不利地位和学术上有天赋的学生提供更好的教育经验，重点是那些来自代表性不足群体的学生和那些从当地社区学院转来的学生。为了支持这一目标，该计划每年向16名机械工程专业的学生颁发奖学金，平均奖学金金额为7500美元。通过扩大该领域的学习机会，该项目有助于增加接受STEM教育的学生的总体数量，以满足国家劳动力的需求。该项目的技术基础在于UMBC与当地社区学院的正式合作关系，以增加转入四年制机械工程课程的学生人数。在其整体招生战略中，该项目通过专注于机械工程中的生物医学专业，积极招募代表性不足的少数民族和妇女。S-STEM学者接受多层次的教师指导，学术干预，获得研究机会和职业建议，并受益于旨在提高所有本科生的保留和职业成功的机构支持基础设施。

This project at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) is providing an enhanced educational experience to economically disadvantaged and academically talented students, with emphasis on those from underrepresented groups and those who are transferring from local community colleges. In support of that goal, the program is awarding annual scholarships to sixteen students who are majoring in mechanical engineering, with an average scholarship amount of $7500. By expanding access to a course of study in this field, the project is helping to increase the overall pool of STEM-educated students ready to meet national workforce needs.The technical basis of this project lies in a formal cooperative relationship UMBC has with local community colleges to increase the number of students transferring to the four-year Mechanical Engineering program. Within its overall enrollment strategy the project is actively recruiting underrepresented minorities and women through a focus on the biomedical specialization within Mechanical Engineering. The S-STEM scholars receive multi-layered faculty mentoring, academic intervention, access to research opportunities, and career advice, and benefit from an institutional support infrastructure designed to increase retention and career success of all undergraduates.