This project is a consortium of six minority-serving colleges in New Mexico formed to increase the number of associates and baccalaureate degrees granted in STEM fields. The consortium is led by New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech), a state science and engineering institution, and includes four community colleges in rural northern New Mexico, and Northern New Mexico College - an institution that is currently in transition from being a community college to a four year degree granting institution. The consortium has a cultural affinity because the participating colleges are small, enrolling less than 3,000 students each, and located in rural areas with high percentages of Hispanic, Native American, low-income, and first-generation college students. The program of work is based upon institutional self-study that has identified the major systemic and institutional obstacles to students completing STEM degrees. Project activities include: 1. Creating and implementing fully developed 2+2 or 2+3 degree plans and reverse transfer opportunities. 2. Enhancing advisement, student development, and undergraduate research opportunities to improve 2-year and 4-year graduation rates and to facilitate the transfer of 2-year students into baccalaureate programs. 3. Establishing paid research opportunities to provide STEM students with income while attending school, foster their interest in STEM careers, and develop student-employer relationships prior to graduation. 4. Developing and improving pre-engineering and science programs to establish consistent, high-standard programs at the 2-year colleges in the consortium. 5. Building Northern New Mexico College's capacity to offer high quality four-year STEM degrees.
Over the five-year grant period, the project is projected to double the number of STEM Associate of Science degrees awarded at the 2-year colleges, triple the number of transfers to New Mexico Tech and Northern New Mexico College, and increase their graduation rates at both schools. Overall the project plans to serve 610 students.
