This project is designed to increase the number of Estrella Mountain Community College students who complete an Associate's degree and who transfer to four-year institutions in STEM fields. A two-tiered cohort program is in place with students enrolled in either a pre-STEM cohort or a STEM cohort based on their prior level of math preparation. The students in the cohorts are being supported through expanded student recruitment, learning communities, faculty and peer mentoring, field experiences, career explorations, financial scholarship incentives, and a systemic change in mathematics instruction. The mathematics instruction is being improved campus-wide through the development of the Math Emporium as a mathematics laboratory where students work with mathematics faculty and student tutors to enrich their educational experiences in developmental and other math courses. The Math Emporium serves the needs of the student cohorts by providing access to online interactive support as well as enhanced faculty/student interactions.
Overall outcomes support the intellectual merit of the project. An approach designed to increase the number of Estrella Mountain Community College students completing associate degrees in STEM areas and transferring to four-year institutions proved successful. Positive advancement was also seen in broadening STEM participation opportunities for underprepared, underrepresented, and non-traditional students. Diverse student cohorts were consistently supported through expanded recruitment, learning communities, faculty and peer mentoring, field experiences, career exploration, financial scholarship incentives, and a systemic change to the delivery of the math curriculum. The project effectively supported the advancement of math, science, technology, and engineering. A variety of activities helped improve knowledge and understanding in support of teaching, training, and learning. Faculty mentors fully supported student academic challenges often associated with STEM degree programs. A peer mentoring component offered more advanced STEM students an opportunity to augment the efforts of faculty in providing collaborative learning experiences for newer students. Student field experience with STEM area professionals and research faculty also enhanced career exploration. Curriculum Improvements Faculty curriculum innovation helped develop the 'Math Emporium'; a designated campus area (class room, 25 computers, and faculty/staff, tutorial assistance) where students engage in a learning community environment with math as the primary focus. MyMathlab software was employed for student problem review in courses ranging from arithmetic review to trigonometry. Increased student access to interactive online support materials improved student-faculty engagement. Additional curricular improvements offered a math modular course design providing students an opportunity to learn concepts at their own pace. The instructional format oversees student progress until demonstrated mastery in a foundational topic is achieved. The dynamics of the modular course format, shared throughout multiple disciplines, provides instructors a clearer awareness of student challenges. Overall math curriculum improvements have enhanced informative pathways between instructor and student while fostering a stronger community of learners. Evidence of higher achievement for the entire student population, in addition to the STEM cohorts, has been recorded. Collaborative Partnership Activities Opportunity for collaboration, partnership, and networking was enhanced through a number of experiences. Development of a student ‘STEM club’, designed to engage both STEP scholars and STEM students, exposed students to professional opportunities available in STEM fields. Club members attended regular meetings, participated in college sponsored field trips, and helped coordinate campus activities. Members were also afforded the opportunity to mentor local high school students interested in the STEM fields. Professional writing workshops, scholarship application seminars, panel discussions, leadership development, and speaking presentations offered appropriate interaction with STEM research faculty. Program activities encouraged students to explore academic fields and pursue careers in science and math related fields. An ‘Internship Information Board’ was developed to aid students in searching for academic or professional experiences. Centrally located and maintained by STEM faculty, the board lists current internship opportunities organized by STEM curriculum fields. A ‘Hall of Fame’ showcasing past STEM graduates was created to celebrate students who have pursued degrees in STEM areas, completed study at our community college, and earned a university degree. The designated area, located near the science labs, highlights students' experiences in learning and the challenges they have overcome. Featured students represent a wide range of backgrounds, goals, and abilities who, through effort and commitment, achieved success in STEM areas. Alumni student testimonials continue to provide current students motivation to pursue degrees in STEM fields. The campus has committed resources to integrate and sustain designated student study areas, ‘math emporium’, modular math course offerings, aiding student STEM preparation, faculty mentorships, and the alumni ‘Hall of Fame’. Community Leadership Collaboration Many potential STEP scholars are initially underprepared for challenging college STEM curriculum. Student preparation concerns prompted a constituency of community college administrators, high school superintendents and principals, and university faculty, to form a regional ‘think tank’ to address challenges concerning potential math curriculum alignment. The College hosted and facilitated strategic conversations regarding academic ‘gaps’ within curriculum content. A series of community leadership driven ‘math summits’ resulted in a faculty produced white paper analysis suggesting curriculum considerations for Pre-K to grade 20. Conclusions and Challenges Although administrative support was critical throughout the grant, faculty maintained the best position for implementation, garnering additional faculty support, and effectively influencing the intended populations the grant was designed to support. The conclusion of the project challenges us to institutionalize the best practices implemented during the grant period. Some organizations may not be in a position to support long-term components of the project and institutional conditions can potentially impact (negatively or positively) any number of successes experienced while resource support was available. The PI was able to remain flexible during the duration of the project to work through challenges and unforeseen conditions, while managing to keep relevant benchmarks in mind to ensure goal attainment was achieved.
