Juniata College, a highly regarded liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, is using its S-STEM award to make it possible for community college transfer students to attend Juniata for their last two years of college while studying for STEM majors. Cost and admissions requirements make such transfers rare, but with the assistance of S-STEM scholarships and through active recruiting at local community colleges, with which Juniata has transfer agreements, the PI and his team identify high achieving STEM students inviting them to apply for scholarships as they apply for admission. The presence of such students representing a diversity of backgrounds and ethnicities enhances the education of all students. A wealth of support systems and mentoring ensures that the Scholars are included in the campus community, while co-curricular events, some specifically for the Scholars, help to retain them in their STEM major preparing them for scientific careers. In the summer between the junior and senior year, Scholars participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program, a key feature of most programs showing success in STEM recruitment and retention. Over the five years of the grant, about 24 students will become Scholars in four cohorts of 6 students each. In addition to preparing these students for STEM careers, the experiences of the challenges and opportunities of working with community college transfer students will inform aspects of advising and pedagogy that can be widely shared.
