This project is being conducted by faculty and staff at the Wolfson and Kendall Campuses of Miami Dade College in an effort to increase the number of STEM majors and graduates at the College. Tools for Success uses a combination of proven techniques such as learning communities, specialized advisement, technological tools, and mentoring to increase the graduation rates of students in STEM fields. Through this program, students enroll in four 1-credit courses designed to improve their success and persistence in STEM fields of study. STEM faculty mentor students through traditional means as well as through Podcasts. Student-to-student mentoring is also being accomplished by pairing second-year students with first-year students. Scholarships provide student incentives to matriculate to 4-year institutions and Science Forums expose students to scientists working in the field. Targeted recruitment efforts are being conducted aimed at incoming undecided community college students and at high schools with significant underrepresented populations.
Program (TFS) is a type I NSF-STEP project aimed at recruiting, engaging, and supporting students to complete their Miami Dade College AA degree and transfer to four-year programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, (STEM). The Tools Program, is said to have "opened doors to opportunity," "inspired," "prepared," "helped discover," and allowed students to "achieve their full potential." Available only at the Wolfson and Kendall campuses (2007-2013) the program became a pathway for 339 students to gain exposure to a whole new world of educational and professional possibilities. The program implemented seven initiatives that provided academic, financial and transfer support to program participants. With a significant Hispanic (68%) and African American (20%) minority representation, Tools broadened the participation of underrepresented groups in various STEM fields at MDC. 37% of program participants were pursuing an AA in Biology, followed by Engineering (24%), Chemistry (12%), and Computers (12%).To improve success rates, Tools for Success students were required to take four complementary one-credit courses that covered: Tools for STEM Success, Physical Science Lab Fundamentals, Leadership in STEM, and Skills for Transfer Success. Engaging students was one of the fundamental ideas behind the project; therefore, Tools incorporated the use of Podcasting in STEM skills courses, invited students to numerous extended learning activities, and organized science forums. A faculty mentorship program was developed to provide intrusive advisement and a peer mentoring program was implemented to allow students to support each other. STEM related education opportunities, programs, scholarships, and Undergraduate research were promoted and qualified students received travel support to attend summer undergraduate research programs. Field trips to the Florida Everglades, Virginia Beach, and snorkeling in the Florida Keys not only gave students a chance to experiment and learn hands-on, but also allowed them to form a learning community by providing opportunities to bond. Students were also invited to visit 4 year universities (UF) and facilities such as NASA. Throughout the program and particularly in the Skills for Transfer Success class, mentors,faculty, and program staff promoted and encouraged students to transfer to four-year institutions by providing transfer scholarships and application-process assistance. Thirty-seven $2,000 scholarships and seventeen $3,000 scholarships were awarded to program participants transferring to an array of universities including: MIT, Cornell, Emory, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, ITT, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rice, University of Columbia, Barry University, UM, UF, FIU, UCF, and FAU. Given financial considerations, 85% of TFS participants transferred to in-state institutions upon completion of the MDC-AA degree.Tools for Success is a lineup of well-conceived and organized activities where mentors and professors became valuable assets according to Ana Martinez, a graduate of the program. Hannah Morbach, now a Nuclear Engineering student at UF, states that TFS gave her confidence, kept her inspired, and helped her realize her potential and the endless possibilities in a STEM career. The variety of activities designed to attract and support students proved to be a powerful combination that has provided students with enough STEM related extra-curricular activities to keep them motivated and focused on the sciences. In order to determine the program’s efficacy, the Office of Institutional Research compared students in the program with an equivalent control group. When compared, the two-year graduation rate of TFS students was four times that of comparison students who did not participate in the program. 91% of the students who completed the program transferred to a STEM related program at an upper division institution. TFS accomplished most of its objectives; however, program retention (73%) and achieving high graduation rates in STEM within two years continues to be challenging for an open-door institution were 69% of its students are employed and a high number of students attend college on part-time basis.In order to try to evaluate various components of the program, Tools Students were surveyed at various points in the program. Students were asked which program activities were most beneficial, 93% percent replied "forums" as a means to reinforce their interest in STEM; in a related question, 88% cited mentors as one of the most beneficial components. Student satisfaction is also an important measure of success; our exit survey indicated that 95% of our participants were satisfied with the program. 93% agree that the program helped them prepare for the next step in their education. 97% plan to continue to study STEM at a university within the next 12 months.The intellectual merit and broader impact of this project goes beyond providing these cohorts with tools to succeed academically. The initiative has advanced our knowledge of effective practices that prepare students to pursue STEM careers, and the valuable insights learned from the program will assist us in continuing to improve and expand STEM programs that engage students thru sustainable teaching practices. Read more about the program: www.toolsforsuccess.org
