The California Alliance of MESA Directors (CAMD) composed of thirty-four community colleges is seeking new ways to increase the number of under-represented and disadvantaged students obtaining technical degrees. The MESA model specifically targets these students through outreach and access to the program and its components reaching to approximately 3,500 students per year. Our focus is to build and expand on MESA's existing service infrastructure by establishing the Basic and Advanced Science and Technology Academies of Research (B A STAR) project. We believe that the BA STAR has the potential to directly and indirectly increase the number of students obtaining technical degrees by providing students the opportunity to develop technical, teamwork and leadership abilities. The BA STAR Program consists of four major components:
(1) Leadership Development Conference (Year 1) (2) Basic Science and Technology Academy of Research (Year 1) (3) Training and Employment as Academic Workshop Leaders (Year 2) (4) Advanced Science and Technology Academy of Research (Year 2)
During the first year students participate in a Leadership Development Conference (LDC). A cohort of these students is then invited to participate in the Basic Science and Technology Academy of Research (B STAR) following the LDC. The B STAR focuses on providing a core understanding of physics principles as well as developing technical computer skills. During Year Two of the program, the cohort is employed as facilitators for Academic Excellence Workshops (AEW) during the academic year. An AEW is a small community of students working collaboratively to master technical course material with the facilitator's guidance. During the summer of Year Two, the same cohort participates in one of five Advanced Science and Technology Academies of Research (A STAR). Each A STAR is research and project oriented, relating to the participant's academic major with the guidance of a faculty or industry mentor. The BA STAR project collects appropriate data for both formative and summative evaluation. The project also tracks and evaluates student participants to verify increased persistence, completion and/or transfer or job placement. Information regarding this project is included in MESA recruitment strategies and materials. Moreover, we intend to disseminate the project's results across the nation via peer-reviewed published articles, presented at relevant conferences, and posted on the Internet.
