Growing stem student success through scholarship and community building with experiential learning and data science

The College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee, Massachusetts will receive $1.5 million under a five-year Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to increase retention and success of academically talented low-income students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields through community-engaged experiential learning incorporating data science. Specifically, the college will provide scholarships and educational support services to at least 40 unique first-year and transfer students majoring in biology, biotechnology, chemistry, computer science, computer information technology and security, or mathematics. All scholars will participate in community-engaged experiential learning activities and opportunities to build data science skills each year of study, culminating in an internship or research experience. This initiative aims to strengthen STEM pathways and improve transfer and degree completion rates in areas of national need.

Abstract

The college of our lady of the elms (elms college) will increase the retention and success of academically-talented stem students with financial need through community-engaged experiential learning incorporating data science and supportive student learning environments. Elms will provide scholarships and educational support for at least 40 unique low-income students (10 first-year students and 30 transfer students) in the stem majors of biology, biotechnology, chemistry, computer science, computer information technology and security, and mathematics. All stem scholars will be provided community-engaged experiential learning activities and opportunities to build data science skills in each year of their studies, culminating in an internship or research experience. With stem outreach events to recruit and retain stem students, this project will serve as a model for cooperation between two-year and four-year colleges. Elms college will implement an innovative high-impact S-stem program involving community-engaged experiential learning and data science skill-building to increase the retention, success, and career outcomes of academically talented, low-income stem scholars. The broader impact of this initiative is to increase the number and diversity of the stem workforce by removing the barriers to success for low-income students who have thus far remained underrepresented in their pursuit of stem fields of study. This initiative will strengthen stem transfer pathways and improve transfer and degree completion rates. Findings from this project will generate knowledge on how participation in community-engaged experiential learning and data science skill-building positively impacts the retention, graduation, and success of low-income stem students. Community engaged experiential learning will be built into cohort activities, such as the stem innovation challenge, and courses, such as data science/analytics, internships, and scientific research. These opportunities will allow students to explore hands-on projects directly related to their career goals and to acquire and practice skills needed in their chosen stem careers. This initiative will build pathways from community colleges to liberal arts colleges and increase retention and graduation rates in stem areas of national need. This project is funded by NSF?S scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in stem fields. IT also aims to improve the education of future stem workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students this award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.