| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 30, 2013 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 7, 2014 |
| Award Number: | 1258767 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Mark Pauley
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2013 |
| End Date: | January 31, 2020 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $610,600.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $610,600.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2014 = $529,450.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1800 LINCOLN AVE EVANSVILLE IN US 47722-1000 (812)488-2551 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
IN US 47714-1200 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | S-STEM-Schlr Sci Tech Eng&Math |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
The University of Evansville Science and Mathematics Scholarship (SAMS) program provides four-year scholarships to talented and financially needy students majoring in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics and physics. The project incorporates multiple student support strategies to retain students in science and math majors, including new courses, focused advising and a math and science living/learning environment. One of the new courses is an interdisciplinary math and science course offered during a summer bridge program. This hands-on course emphasizes real-life scientific problems and develops critical thinking through active learning. The second course, a one-credit college success course that SAMS Scholars take in the first semester, provides them with study skills and time management tools to help them succeed in their math and science majors. A team of faculty from each of the represented departments serves as advisors for the SAMS Scholars. In addition, scholars receive career advising at a monthly math and science career colloquium, and informal peer mentoring from upperclass math and science majors. Finally, a supportive learning community is fostered through a science and math-themed floor in a residence hall and regular social activities. The SAMS program helps students make smooth transitions from high school to college and from college to the workforce or graduate school.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The Science and Mathematics Scholarship (SAMS) program provided annual scholarships averaging $4715 to 42 students majoring in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics and physics. To date, 17 SAMS recipients have graduated with one of these majors; eight are enrolled in PhD or MS programs in science or math, and eight are enrolled in professional healthcare programs. An additional seven recipients are expected to graduate in May 2020, and five more recipients are currently continuing their students in these majors. Therefore, the graduation and/or retention rate for the project is 69%.
The project also included the development of two courses designed to improve retention in science or math majors. The first course, "Science and Math in the Environment" (ID105), is a hands-on, interdisciplinary course that was offered as part of a week-long pre-college program. There were two main objectives of the course: 1) to acclimate students to college life and available support services; and 2) to introduce students to college-level work in the sciences and mathematics in the context of environmental questions. The program's compact timeframe required students to be completely immersed in the course, and built a mutually supportive cohort of students that persisted into the academic year. The second course, "Excelling in Science and Math" (ID 106), was designed to continue the cohort building from ID 105, introduce students to campus resources and career options, and help students learn the study and test taking skills needed to be successful in college. Both courses were assessed using end of course surveys and SAMS focus groups or surveys held in the students' senior year. These assessments indicated that both courses were successful at fulfilling their objectives: ID 105 helped students make the transition to college and allowed students to get to know professors and each other before the semester began; and ID 106 provided students with useful practical information for academic and career success, and helped build community within the cohorts. In recognition of the benefits of ID 106, the Biology department now recommends the course for all incoming majors, and two sections are offered annually. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the course is improving retention in the biology major.
Finally, the SAMS program also provided an impetus for interdisciplinary collaboration in the mathematics and natural science departments. One outcome of this collaboration is the development of a new, "Computers in Science and Mathematics" certificate program that seeks to develop students' skills in interdisciplinary computational computational problem-solving, thus improving their readiness for the STEM workforce.
Summary:
Intellectual merit outomes: The SAMS scholarships provided helped make UE more accessible to high-achieving students with financial need, and facilitated their success in a natural science or mathematics major.
Broader impact outcomes: The ID 106 course developed as part of the SAMS project is now available to all students, and recommended for all biology majors, therefore supporting STEM retention for a broader student population. The lessons learned from the implementation of this course, as well as of ID 105, have informed the development of a new certificate program, and may inform others interested in building interdisciplinary student cohorts to increase STEM student success.
Last Modified: 04/30/2020
Modified by: Joyce C Stamm
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