Enhancing stem learning for undergraduates and the public through the stem interaction, communication, career, and community hub

The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education awarded Northern Arizona University $398,715 on October 1, 2026, under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) to enhance undergraduate STEM learning and career readiness through the STEM Interaction, Communication, Career, and Community Hub.

The project delivers undergraduate career-building programming connecting students with science and strengthening university-community research impacts. Lower-division students participate in seminars on real-world STEM experiences through internships and research; upper-division STEM students broaden skills through science communication internships. Interns engage local youth and families in meaningful STEM research through outreach activities at community events, enhancing STEM literacy. The work investigates how participation in co-curricular science communication internships influences student academic engagement, self-efficacy, persistence, and career intentions in STEM, using narrative inquiry methodology to generate findings that inform career-building STEM experiences and strategies supporting persistence and success among STEM majors.

Performance occurs in Flagstaff, Arizona, with a period of performance from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029. Northern Arizona University is a public research institution and Hispanic-Serving Institution; Arizona Board of Regents serves as its parent entity. The Engaged Student Learning Track of the NSF IUSE program supports the creation and exploration of undergraduate STEM education projects.

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by providing undergraduate stem career-building programming that enhances student learning and connects communities with science. To increase stem workforce readiness, this project plans to increase career development skills, AI readiness, academic success, and academic persistence in undergraduates. Lower division students will participate in seminars focused on obtaining real world stem experiences through internships and research, and upper division stem students will broaden skills through science communication internships. Interns will engage local youth and families in meaningful stem research through outreach activities at popular community events, enhancing stem literacy and strengthening university-community connections and research impacts. The significance of this level 1 engaged student learning project is the connection between informal stem education, career building, and student learning through undergraduate community engagement. The goal of this project is to advance understanding of effective undergraduate stem education by investigating how participation in CO-curricular science communication internships influence students? Academic engagement, self-efficacy, persistence, and career intentions in stem. Using a narrative inquiry methodology, the study plans to elicit students? Experiences and add new insights to the undergraduate stem knowledge base. Research and evaluation findings will inform development of career-building stem experiences and further develop knowledge of effective strategies that support persistence and success among stem majors. The NSF iuse: EDU program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of stem education for all students. Through the engaged student learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. 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.- subawards are not planned for this award.