Interdisciplinary and collaborative training in the applied biosciences is increasing enrollment, retention, and graduation in STEM fields by targeted outreach and recruitment of students for bioinformatics, biotechnology, and biochemistry. Scholarship support is being provided for traditionally underrepresented students and a Complementary Learning Program (CLP) is providing academic support for bioscience and other STEM majors. The impact of the project is being assessed by comparing retention and graduation rates for CLP participants and non-participants and tracking STEM enrollment and retention rates among minority students.
The merits of the project include the use of group learning environments and exposure to scientific applications in biotechnology and bioinformatics to increase student learning outcomes and persistence in STEM majors. This project is adapting best practices in undergraduate education, including the concepts of Supplemental Instruction and the model of Learning Organizations by Senge, and implementing them within an interdisciplinary curriculum.
This project is having a broad impact by (1) increasing the number of students graduating in STEM, particularly in bioinformatics, biotechnology, and biochemistry; (2) increasing awareness of STEM research and employment opportunities; (3) increasing awareness of bioinformatics and biotechnology among high school students; and (4) expanding STEM enrollment for underrepresented populations. The dissemination plan includes sharing project results in presentations at scientific meetings and education conferences, preparing manuscripts for submission to scientific and educational journals, and submitting materials for inclusion in the National Science Digital Library (NSDL).
" was funded in 2009. The project focused on interdisciplinary and collaborative training in the applied biosciences with goals of increasing enrollment, retention, and graduation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at the college. The project was specifically developed for the College’s interdisciplinary programs in bioinformatics, biotechnology, and biochemistry. These programs are located in the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computing (Boyer School). Project activities included targeted outreach and recruitment for the bioinformatics, biochemistry, and biotechnology programs; scholarship support; and the development of an academic support program (called the Collaborative Learning Program (CLP) for students enrolled in the biosciences and other Boyer School STEM majors. It was anticipated that the project would increase total enrollment in STEM programs offered by the Boyer School by approximately 15% by (1) attracting 30 new students to the interdisciplinary fields of bioinformatics, biotechnology, and biochemistry and retaining 25 biology majors who would have otherwise dropped out of the discipline; (2) increasing graduation rates among majors in biology from 50% to 70%, by engaging one-third of freshman biology majors in the CLP; and (3) providing six full tuition scholarships to freshmen enrolling in bioinformatics, biotechnology, and biochemistry. It was anticipated that the project would serve a minimum of 166 unduplicated students over a five-year project period from July 1, 2009 to July 1, 2014. The project has been successful in achieving its goals. Enrollment targets were established for the following increases: in STEM majors overall, in first time freshmen pursuing a STEM major, and in the interdisciplinary fields of biochemistry, bioinformatics, and biotechnology. In comparing enrollment averages for the five years preceding the start of the grant with enrollment averages from the five-year grant period, several results are determined. The average number of STEM majors in the Boyer School increased by 20% (346.2 to 416.0). The average number of first time freshmen choosing a STEM major increased 22.83% (106.0 to 130.2). The average number of first time freshmen attracted to a major in bioinformatics or biochemistry increased by 58.33% (9.6 to 15.2). The average number of students seeking a degree in the undergraduate majors of biochemistry or bioinformatics increased 64.13% from (21.93) to (36.0) in the five years of the grant. The biotechnology program at Saint Vincent is offered as a minor. The average number of degree seeking students by minor in biotechnology increased 180% (1.0 to 2.8). There have been an additional 40 Biology graduates (170) in the five years of the grant compared to the five years preceding the grant (130) and the annual average of the number of biology graduates has increased 30% during the five years of the grant (34.0) compared to the average in the five years preceding the grant (26.0). The annual graduation rate in Biology reached 70% over the five years of the grant. The number of additional students recruited since 2009 through the STEP interdisciplinary program above the preceding five year base averages in bioinformatics, biochemistry, and biotechnology was 30 as of the fall of 2013 . A STEP fellow scholarship program was created as part of the grant to award six full tuition scholarships for students majoring in bioinformatics, biochemistry, or minoring in biotechnology. During the grant period, 24 STEP fellow scholarships were awarded. To maintain the scholarship, students were required to attend CLP sessions in courses that had a CLP component, continue to major in Bioinformatics or Biochemistry or minor in Biotechnology, and maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better. In the fall of 2013, the start of the last year of the grant, there were 11 STEP fellows in Biochemistry, 6 in Bioinformatics, and 7 in Biotechnology . The CLP was developed to support the program goals and to provide academic support in the biosciences and other STEM majors. CLP is offered in freshman and sophomore level courses in the departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Computing and Information Science. CLP is open and available to all students enrolled in the CLP designated courses. The proposed attendance target for this program was 31 freshmen in the fall of 2009, increasing to 32 freshman and 22 sophomores in the fall of 2010 to a final target of 35 freshman and 26 sophomores in the fall of 2013. In the fall of 2013, actual attendance was 146 freshman and 68 sophomores. The total number of students proposed to participate during the life of the grant was 261. As of fall 2013, actual numbers show 882 students had participated. The College will institutionalize key components of the program by continuing a slightly modified STEP scholarship program; continuing the existing CLP sessions; and expanding CLP sessions into Mathematics and possibly Physics.
