This project is providing students interested in completing a chemistry degree an opportunity to earn scholarships based on their academic merit and financial need. The project is partnering with the Integrative Liberal Studies Program, the Center for Academic Advising and Learning Support, and the Career Center to sustain recruitment, retention and academic success in the chemistry major.
The objectives of the program are to: (1) Increase the number of quality professional chemists by offering scholarships to Chemistry Scholars. (2) Implement a long-term recruiting plan to attract high-quality, motivated and promising students to the college as chemistry majors. (3) Increase the academic success and community strength of chemistry students by forming a Chemistry Learning Community (CLC) composed of Chemistry Scholars and other chemistry majors. (4) Develop and implement a three phase educational support program to retain students in the major and prepare them for success as chemistry professionals. (5) Develop the three-phase educational support structure into a long-term program sustainable beyond the funding period.
Intellectual merit: This project is developing and implementing an educational support structure for the chemistry major from first entry to the college through graduation. This support structure uses proven pedagogical theories and practices and is coupled with a student-centered Chemistry Department curriculum that focuses on rigorous undergraduate research (UR). A freshman colloquium course required of all graduates is specifically designed for chemistry majors to learn discipline specific academic skills that enable them to achieve success. The CLC utilizes an enhanced curriculum that provides faculty and peer mentorship, a student management team, UR opportunities, supplemental instruction, career building, and other quality programs that are designed to graduate quality chemistry professionals.
Broader impacts: This project is yielding an increased number of high-quality chemistry graduates well-prepared to enter the chemistry workforce. The support structure is also increasing the number of students who successfully complete foundation chemistry courses yielding gains in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) literacy, retention, and graduates. The long term recruiting plan is being sustained through new relationships with high school teachers and guidance counselors in the region and state. This support structure that is helping to recruit and retain chemistry majors at the college can be adopted for other STEM disciplines at other primarily undergraduate institutions.
