This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, an public four-year, STEM-focused Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Over its five-year duration, this project will fund scholarships to at least 34 unique full-time students who are pursuing bachelor degrees in STEM disciplines including biology, engineering, computer science, earth science, mathematics, and/or physics. First-year students will receive four-year scholarships, and transfer students will receive up to three-year scholarships. The project will provide students with directed mentoring and workshops to guide students? professional knowledge and skill development. Students will also receive instruction about evidence-based study strategies, to improve their study skills at a critical transition in their first semester. The project's empirical research is designed to inform universities how to improve study strategies and academic success of lower-income students. A major intended outcome is increasing the number of of traditionally underrepresented students who enter higher-paying careers in STEM.
The overall goal of this project is to increase STEM degree completion of low-income, high achieving undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. The project will evaluate the impact of three specific interventions: 1) directed mentoring; 2) scholarships; and 3) presentation of evidence on study skills by an authentic near-peer role model. Previous research has shown that community-building and directed mentoring can increase retention at large research universities. This project will determine whether mentoring aimed at all STEM majors can succeed at a small, public HSI. Institutional data shows that, when financial aid sunsets before graduation, many low income students who no longer qualify for federal aid cannot afford to finish their degrees. This financial shortfall results in a graduation gap between Pell-eligible and other students that grows 11% between college years four and six. This project will address this issue with scholarships and directed mentoring, to facilitate course selection and clear plans to achieve graduation within four years. Study skills will be addressed through video presentations to experimentally manipulate whether the person providing evidence on study strategies presents either by a researcher or a role model alumnus or upperclassman from the institution who has improved their own performance on required science and math coursework. Project evaluation will use data about development of students in directed mentoring, the research on identity messaging about study skills, and the effectiveness of the scholarships themselves to increase retention and graduation rates of STEM majors. This project is funded by NSF?s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
