Targeted Infusion Project: Establishment of an Undergraduate Peer-Mentor Project-Based Program in STEM at Texas Southern University

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU- up）通过有针对性的输液项目，支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以提高HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们可以攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。德克萨斯南方大学（TSU）的这个项目旨在建立一个本科生同伴指导计划（UPMP），以改善STEM一年级学生的成果。拟议的项目将包括一个基于同伴的指导项目，并结合利用stem资源的转化研究经验。该计划有可能成为提高STEM科目的保留率，提高毕业率，并提高继续进入研究生院和STEM劳动力的学生数量和学术准备的国家模式。该项目的总体目标是提高在STEM领域攻读学位的代表性不足的本科生的保留率和学术准备。具体目标是增加来自代表性不足的群体获得STEM学位的人数；在本科教育的前两年，提高STEM专业的保留率，包括传统上代表性不足的群体；并加强STEM学生为研究生院和/或劳动力的学术准备。本科同伴指导计划（UPMP）有两个组成部分，包括教育部门（ARMa）和实验研究部门（ARMb），它强调核心STEM学科中的基础学科，包括物理，化学，生物和数学。该项目将以主动学习实践为基础，由训练有素的本科生导师为大一和高年级学生提供结构化课程，学习核心STEM课程。除了同侪指导，本科生也将接触到教师指导的研究经验。预计该计划将提高托国立STEM教育的质量，并可在托国立和其他大学推广实施。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), through Targeted Infusion Projects, supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. The project at Texas Southern University (TSU) seeks to establish an Undergraduate Peer-Mentoring Program (UPMP) that will improve outcomes for first-year STEM students. The proposed program will incorporate a peer-based mentoring program and combine translational research experiences utilizing STEM-based resources. This program has the potential to serve as a national model for improving retention in STEM subjects, increase graduation rates, and enhance the number and academic preparedness of students who go on to graduate school and the STEM workforce.The overall goal of the program is to improve the retention and academic preparedness of underrepresented undergraduate students working toward degrees in STEM fields. The specific objectives are to increase the number of individuals from underrepresented groups that graduate with STEM degrees; improve retention rates, including among groups traditionally underrepresented, in STEM majors during the first two years of undergraduate education; and enhance academic preparedness of STEM students for graduate school and/or workforce. The Undergraduate Peer-Mentoring Program (UPMP) has two components consisting of an educational arm (ARMa) and an experimental research arm (ARMb), which emphasizes foundational subject matter within core STEM disciplines including physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics. The project will be based on a foundation of active learning practices using trained undergraduate mentors in structured sessions for freshmen and upperclassmen STEM students using core STEM courses. In addition to peer-mentoring, undergraduates will also be exposed to faculty-mentored research experiences. It is anticipated that this program will enhance the quality of STEM education at TSU and could be expanded both at TSU and implemented at other universities.