Promoting Retention and Completion with STEM Research and Design Cohorts at Linn-Benton Community College

Linn-Benton社区学院（LBCC）的“促进STEM研究和设计队列的保留和完成”科学、技术、工程和数学（S-STEM）项目奖学金每年将为有经济需求的学术才华的LBCC STEM专业学生提供大约21个奖学金。由于该项目建立并扩展了之前成功的S-STEM项目（技术学者计划，TSP-I和TSP-II），参与者将被称为TSP-III学者。化学、物理、地质、工程、数学、计算机科学和生物将成为奖学金的目标专业。学生将参与研究和/或设计项目经验，作为几个可能的研究和设计队列（rdc）的一部分。这将通过一门名为“目的地毕业”的一学分课程来完成，这是一项机构要求；以stem为中心的课程将提供给S-STEM学者。此外，在完成本课程后，学生将有机会与教师一起参加额外的可选RDC活动。学者将主要通过有针对性的外展招募四个小组：(1)俄勒冈海洋先进技术教育（MATE）远程操作车辆（ROV）计划，(2)林恩和本顿县的五年级高中学生，(3)大学援助移民计划（CAMP），以及(4)科学技术机器人的灵感和认可（FIRST）。针对这些群体进行招聘，预计会产生一批申请者，他们不仅有学术天赋或在STEM学科取得成功的潜力，而且有经济需求，因为许多参与一些项目的学生是低收入的第一代大学生。此外，俄勒冈州的MATE ROV团队中大约有50%是女性，因此有可能扩大女性在STEM领域的参与。计划的预期短期成果是：(1)为学生提供显著的经济纾缓；(2)营造一个环境，让学生感受到项目和学院的支持，让他们留在学校，在学院有一种社区意识，取得学业上的成功，并成功地过渡到四年的项目；(3)让教师参与一个评估结果的系统，并在适当的时候做出改变，以提高学生的学习和记忆力。科罗拉多州对科学的学习态度调查（CLASS）将用于确定获得奖学金的学生是否确实比非S-STEM学生（包括非stem专业的学生）面临更少的经济压力。这项调查将在每年发布几次，以便全面衡量奖学金如何影响财务稳定性和专注于学习的能力。中等预期结果是TSP-III学者将：(1)与非S-STEM同行相比，被保留并在学术上表现良好；(2)成功转入四年制大学，并在这些大学中持续感受到同伴群体的支持。反映学生保留和成功的数据将由LBCC的机构研究办公室提供，以跟踪每个季度的学生表现，允许教师，顾问和项目工作人员在发现问题时尽早进行干预。国家学生信息中心将用于跟踪成功转学的TSP-III学者的数量和百分比。在与富勒顿的加州州立大学和俄勒冈州立大学等合作伙伴的合作下，将进行一项后续调查，以获得关于学者们在四年计划中的经验、进展和准备情况的反馈，以及获得同伴支持的程度。

The Linn-Benton Community College's (LBCC's) "Promoting Retention and Completion with STEM Research and Design Cohorts" Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project will annually provide approximately 21 scholarships to academically talented LBCC STEM majors with financial need. Because this project builds upon and expands prior successful S-STEM efforts (Tech Scholars Program, TSP-I and TSP-II), participants will be referred to as TSP-III Scholars. Chemistry, physics, geology, engineering, math, computer science, and biology will be the target majors for the scholarships. Students will engage in research and/or design project experiences as part of one of several possible Research and Design Cohorts (RDCs). This will be accomplished through a one-credit course called "Destination Graduation," which is an institutional requirement; a STEM-centered version of this course will be available to S-STEM scholars. Further, students will have the opportunity to engage in additional optional RDC activities with faculty members after completion of this course. Scholars will be recruited primarily through targeted outreach to four groups: (1) Oregon Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) program, (2) Linn and Benton Counties' 5th Year High School Students, (3) College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), and (4) For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics. Targeting these groups for recruitment is expected to yield a pool of applicants who not only have the academic talent or potential to succeed in STEM disciplines, but also financial need, as many students engaged in some of the programs are low-income, first generation college students. Additionally, the MATE ROV teams in Oregon are roughly 50% female, thus lending to the possibility of broadening participation of women in STEM fields.Expected short-term outcomes of the project are: (1) to provide significant financial relief for the students; (2) to foster an environment where students feel supported by the program and the college to stay in school, have a sense of community at the college, achieve academic success, and transition successfully to a four year program; (3) to engage faculty in a system that assesses outcomes and makes changes when appropriate to improve student learning and retention. The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) will be used to determine whether or not the students who receive the scholarships indeed face reduced financial strain compared to non S-STEM students, including non-STEM majors. This survey will be issued several times throughout each year allowing for a comprehensive measure of how the scholarships impact financial stability and ability to concentrate on learning. Intermediate expected outcomes are that TSP-III scholars will: (1) be retained and perform well academically compared to their non S-STEM counterparts; and (2) transfer successfully to a four-year institution and feel a continued sense of peer group support at those institutions. Data reflecting student retention and success will be provided by LBCC's Office of Institutional Research to track student performance each quarter allowing faculty, advisors, and project staff to intervene early if problems are identified. The National Student Clearinghouse will be used to track the number and percent of TSP-III Scholars who transfer successfully. In collaboration with partners such as California State University at Fullerton and Oregon State University, a follow-up survey will be administered to obtain feedback on the scholars' experience, progress, and preparedness for the four-year program as well as the extent of peer support received.