Seminole State College of Florida (SSC) partnering with the local school district and industry plans to enhance and expand viable STEM academic pathways in the AS degree fields of building construction technology, architectural engineering technology, architectural design, and drafting and design technology. Project activities include: (1) reaching out to the high school level to supplement current secondary instruction with enhanced postsecondary academic planning and learning opportunities of increased rigor; (2) strengthening the current articulated and seamless system of multiple education and career entry and exit points designed to maximize the number of students who complete a STEM-related associate degree (or higher) to facilitate economic development; and (3) establishing new research-based intervention strategies to facilitate postsecondary student retention and completion. In addition, as part of a broader curriculum enhancement effort, SSC targets the formal integration of Green and Sustainable Design concepts into the curriculum. The goal is to increase the enrollment, retention and graduation rate of students in the aforementioned fields. The project objectives and activities are based on existing research and data.
The outcomes of this project contribute to the body of knowledge on technician education and address factors that impact lower division student success and high school-community college-university collaboration. The impacts of the project also include increasing the participation of underrepresented groups and creating a model that can be emulated by other institutions.
