Implementation Projects provide support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to design, implement, study, and assess comprehensive institutional efforts to increase the number of students receiving undergraduate degrees in STEM and enhance the quality of their preparation by strengthening STEM education and research. The project at Benedict College seeks to build on previous successful efforts to increase participation of African-American students in STEM disciplines. The objectives and strategies of the Center for Engineering and Science are consistent with Benedict College's goal of increasing the number of well-prepared STEM graduates who enter in the workforce as engineers, teachers, or pursue STEM graduate education and research careers.
The objectives of the project are to: 1) increase retention of STEM freshmen students; 2) increase the five-year graduation rate of STEM majors; and 3) increase the number of engineering and science majors who gain admission and matriculate to graduate school. The project strategies supporting these objectives are evidence-based and will be monitored and evaluated for effectiveness. This evaluation will help to decide which activities will be sustained by Benedict College and will be disseminated as best practices for peer institutions.