Targeted Infusion Project: Ensuring the Vitality and Sustainability of the Virginia Union University Physics and Pre-Engineering Program

历史黑人学院和大学本科项目(HBCU-UP)通过有针对性的灌输项目，支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以改善HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们能够攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。弗吉尼亚联合大学将实施一套全面的以学生为中心的战略，以改善物理和工程预科学生的学习体验，并确保该项目的活力，该项目将有助于扩大黑人和非裔美国学生以及低收入学生在物理和工程领域的参与。该项目将增加物理和工程专业毕业生的数量，并确保他们为进入物理和工程研究生项目和/或职业做好充分准备。该项目还将对VUU产生广泛影响，修订一门面向VUU所有学生的普通教育物理课程，并为VUU STEM所有教职员工提供基于项目的学习研讨会和其他资源，以实施以研究为基础的教学策略。最后，该项目将有助于社区了解在以教学为重点的文科院校的小型物理系的背景下，常见的高影响力教学做法的有效性。一个严格的混合方法评估计划将检查项目活动对学生表现和心理社会结构的影响，这些结构通常与STEM高等教育的保留有关。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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. Virginia Union University will implement a comprehensive set of student-centered strategies to improve the learning experience for physics and pre-engineering students and ensure the vitality of a program that is well-poised to contribute to efforts to broaden the participation of Black and African American students and low-income students in physics and engineering fields.The project will increase the number of physics and engineering graduates and ensure they are well-prepared to enter physics and engineering graduate programs and/or careers. The project will also make a broad impact at VUU by revising a general education physics course that serves all VUU students and provide project-based learning workshops and other resources for implementing research-based instructional strategies to all VUU STEM faculty. Finally, the project will contribute to the community's understanding of the effectiveness of common high-impact teaching practices within the context of small physics departments at teaching-focused liberal arts institutions. A rigorous mixed-methods evaluation plan will examine the impact of project activities on student performance and psychosocial constructs typically associated with retention in STEM higher education.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.