Project Pathways is a collaboration among a two-year college, several local independent school districts, the Big Thicket National Preserve and the Conservation Fund, along with special assistance from the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center, the University of North Texas, Harvard University, and Texas Instruments. The goal is to improve undergraduate student recruitment and retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs with an emphasis on students from under-represented groups, including women, minorities and students with disabilities. It responds to national concerns about the need to increase the number of undergraduate students obtaining degrees in STEM areas, as well as the local college-level concern about high attrition in entry-level science courses.
Intellectual merit: To accomplish its objectives, Project Pathways is increasing the number of students pursuing STEM degrees by providing: 1) educational outreach at the pre-college level, 2) interdisciplinary, inquiry based curricula enhancements through professional development workshops and retreats for high school teachers and community college and university faculty/administrators, 3) specialized recruitment of underrepresented students across STEM disciplines, and 4) early undergraduate research experience. The extensive partnering and collaboration on this project permits Pathways' students to have access to an unusual set of resources, in particular, the College's scanning electron microscope, a research instrument rarely located in a community college, and community-based research in places such as The Big Thicket National Preserve.
Broader impact: The project serves as a model for other academic institutions trying to address similar concerns. Over five years, the project's specific objectives are to: 1) increase the number of students with a declared STEM field by 25%; 2) Increase the retention rate of STEM students by 20%; 3) increase the number of students who graduate with a STEM degree and/or transfer to a four-year institutions as STEM majors by 15%; and 4) increase the number of underrepresented groups majoring in STEM by 15%.
