Advancing Academic Success and Career Development for Talented, Low-Income Computer Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Majors

该项目将通过为谢泼德大学有经济需求的低收入学术天才学生提供经济、学术、社会和职业支持，为STEM领域培养受过良好教育的劳动力做出贡献。该项目将应用和加强基于证据的学生支持计划，以提高由计算机科学、数学和工程系（CME）提供的学位课程的52名学生（总共126名奖学金）的教育成功率，这些学位课程包括：数据分析、数学、计算机信息科学、计算机信息技术、计算机工程或工程科学。该项目将评估这些学生支持对学者的保留率和毕业率的有效性，其中许多人预计将是第一代、女性和转学生。该计划将确定并消除障碍，从而提高STEM目标学生的保留率。学者们将得到教师和同行的支持，并有机会参加学术、社会和专业活动，这将使他们能够突出自己的优势，并探索未来的一些选择。此外，该项目将加强谢泼德与商业、工业和政府机构的地区联盟，同时改善与当地高中和社区大学的联系。该项目有四个具体目标：(1)增加CME专业的入学率和保留率；(2)提高CME专业四年毕业率；(3)增加S-STEM毕业生在毕业后六个月内在本领域就业或继续研究生学习的比例；(4)加强学生支持计划。该计划将通过加强与高中和社区大学的营销活动，并通过各种学生俱乐部和比赛来招收学生。奖学金获得者将通过竞争性的申请程序进行选拔，并消除可能阻碍奖学金获得者及时完成学位的经济和其他障碍。被选中的学生将参加暑期桥梁项目、实习、研究机会、职业发展服务、S-STEM研讨会，并与当地行业代表互动。学生支持项目，如教师和同伴指导、群体建设经验、研讨会和教程、咨询和学习社区，将使该项目能够以周到和关心的方式解决学者的个人需求。谢泼德大学将收集当前文献中发现的关键证据，以更好地理解学生成功的基本要素。此外，将采用混合定性和定量方法来扩展研究基础，以了解几个学生支持计划和项目对STEM学生成功的影响。该项目的模型和研究结果将通过网站、社交媒体、出版物和会议演讲进行传播，目标受众是对提高STEM本科生的准备感兴趣的高等教育社区。该项目由美国国家科学基金会的科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金项目资助，旨在增加有经济需求的低收入学术天才学生在STEM领域获得学位的人数。它还旨在改善未来STEM工作者的教育，并为低收入学生提供有关学业成功、留校、转学、毕业和学术/职业道路的知识。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will contribute to the preparation of a well-educated workforce in STEM fields by providing financial, academic, social, and career support to a diverse cohort of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need at Shepherd University. The project will apply and strengthen evidence-based student support programs that improve the educational success of a diverse community of 52 students (total of 126 scholarships) majoring in a degree program offered by the Department of Computer Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering (CME): Data Analytics, Mathematics, Computer Information Sciences, Computer Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or Engineering Science. The project will assess the effectiveness of these student supports on retention and graduation rates of scholars, many of whom are anticipated to be first generation, female, and transfer students. The program will identify and eliminate barriers, leading to improved retention of the targeted population of students in STEM. Scholars will receive support from faculty and peers and have the opportunity to participate in academic, social, and professional activities that will allow them to accentuate their strengths and explore a number of future options. Further, the program will enhance Shepherd’s regional alliance with business, industry, and government agencies while improving connections with local high schools and community colleges. The project has four specific objectives: (1) increase enrollment and retention of CME majors, (2) improve four-year graduation rate of CME majors, (3) increase the proportion of graduating S-STEM scholars who find employment, or continue to graduate studies, in their field within six months of graduation, and (4) enhance student support programs. The program will recruit students by enhancing marketing activities with high schools and community colleges, and through a variety of student clubs and competitions. Scholars will be selected through a competitive application process, supported by removing the financial and other barriers that can impede scholars’ progress towards timely completion of their degrees. The selected students will participate in summer bridge programs, internships, research opportunities, career development services, S-STEM seminars, and interactions with local industry representatives. Student support programs such as faculty and peer mentoring, cohort-building experiences, seminars and tutorials, counseling, and learning communities will allow the project to address scholars’ individual needs with thought and care. Shepherd University will gather critical evidence as found in the current literature to better understand essential elements for student success. Furthermore, mixed qualitative and quantitative approaches will be employed to extend the research base regarding what is known about the impact of several student support initiatives and programs on the success of STEM students. The project’s models and findings will be disseminated through websites, social media, publications, and conference presentations aimed at higher education communities interested in improving their preparation of undergraduate STEM students. This project is funded by NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.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.