| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 14, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 14, 2017 |
| Award Number: | 1643593 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Michael Davis
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | July 15, 2017 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2023 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $999,562.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $999,562.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1200 W INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY BLVD DAYTONA BEACH FL US 32114-2817 (386)506-3200 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1200 W. International Speedway Daytona Beach FL US 32114-2817 |
| 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
Students-Support Through Academic Resources and Services (S-STARS) addresses the critical need for STEM workers in Florida where industries serve national interests in aerospace technology, cybersecurity, biotech research and development, and preservation of natural resources. S-STARS will provide 82 scholarships to students pursing Associate degrees in STEM fields and an additional 22 scholarships to students with associate degrees that subsequently pursue baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields over the five-year project. Student success will be supported through multiple interventions. Faculty mentors will be assigned to each scholar, and professional staff advisors will provide intensive academic advising. Internships in local industries will enable students to directly explore career related to their fields of study. Student cohorts will create a shared experience opportunities for peer-to-peer support. Targeted use of digital communication and social media tools will ensure student access to important information and encourage their continued engagement with faculty, advisors, and other students throughout the program. With an average student body age of 27 years, the large non-traditional population at Daytona State College has the potential to add to the STEM workforce a pool of students with more life experience than traditional undergraduate students.
The goals of S-STARS are three-fold. The project focuses on increased retention, student success (as measured by GPA, time to completion, rates of job placement), and completion (as measured by graduation and/or transfer) of low-income, academically talented students in STEM fields. The project implements, studies, and adapts the use of effective evidence-based practices to enhance success among participants. In addition, S-STARS contributes to broader understanding of how strategically selected and combined curricular and co-curricular supports can be used effectively in the community college setting among a diverse population of low-income students. S-STARS scholars are expected to experience higher rates of retention, program completion, transfer to additional post-secondary study, and/or job placement in comparison to students not participating in S-STARS. The project builds upon existing collaborations with other institutions in the Florida College System. Project outcomes will be shared with those institutions as well as the Florida Advanced Technical Education Engineering and Technology Forum and through presentations at the American Association of Community Colleges annual conference and other STEM-related professional meetings.
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.
In summer 2017, Daytona State College was awarded a four-year National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (NSF S-STEM) grant in the amount of $999,962 to support Students – Support Through Academic Resources and Services (S-STARS). The project was designed to provide scholarships for low-income, academically talented students pursuing degrees in STEM disciplines. Reducing the obstacles to program completion has been supported through intensive academic advising, cohort engagement in co-curricular activities, faculty mentorship, and career exploration.
With the intent of developing a model scholarship and student support project for academically talented, financially disadvantaged students, Daytona State College began implementing S-STARS in summer 2017 upon receiving a notice of award from NSF. The most recent leadership team of S-STARS included five STEM faculty members (one P.I. and four Co-P.I.s) and one part-time project coordinator. This multi-year initiative was designed to meet the ever-growing demand for skilled professionals in STEM fields, and further the knowledge base regarding effective practices fueling postsecondary success among high-achieving, low-income students.
S-STARS represents a coordinated effort to increase the number and diversity of students entering the talent pipeline by addressing barriers to retention, persistence, and completion in STEM fields. S-STARS created an intensive learning community for students in STEM programs by integrating a series of strategic elements: continual and intrusive academic advising; cohort engagement through academic and extracurricular activities; individualized faculty mentoring, and career exploration. These co-curricular activities were provided to participants on the non-residential state college campus and through a variety of digital platforms.
S-STARS has heightened the college’s profile and prestige. As originally proposed, the project was to serve over 100 students pursuing a STEM associate’s or bachelor’s degree. In order to be eligible for in-state funding for tuition and books for up to 60 credit hours, students were required to maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.0 and meet all of the participation requirements. They were also required to sign the S-STARS scholarship agreement to indicate they understood the expectations for scholars in terms of student conduct, project-related activity attendance, mentoring, online discussions, and academic standing.
S-STARS is framed by three primary goals:
1. Increase in recruitment, retention, student success, and completion (graduation and/or transfer) of low-income, academically talented students in STEM fields.
2. Adapt, implement, and study models of how effective evidence-based practices affect success among low-income, academically talented students.
3. Contribute to the implementation and sustainability of effective evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities for low-income, academically talented students pursuing education and entry into the STEM workforce.
S-STARS encompasses the fastest growing career fields and represents a rewarding educational and supportive financial opportunity for students interested in STEM. The project’s marketing strategy capitalized on the desirable nature of STEM careers, the marketability of STEM degrees, and the growing high-tech employment opportunities throughout the region and the nation. The opportunities for STEM students at Daytona State College extend beyond standard degree programs to include an increasing number of stackable certificates, micro credentials, internships, service-learning opportunities, and networking engagements with business and industry.
STEM industries in Florida serve critical national interests such as aerospace technology, environmental technology, cybersecurity, and biotech research. Connecting S-STARS participants with industry partners for internships and service-learning opportunities has been a key component of this grant-funded initiative. The project leadership team successfully leveraged existing college-industry partnerships to prepare students to enter the workforce with the requisite knowledge and skills (technical and soft) to succeed in their chosen profession.
During its six-year performance period, S-STARS served a total of 84 participants with scholarships, co-curricular engagements, and wraparound student support. Students left in the program are still pursuing their degrees although not awarded the scholarship due to the end of the grant period. Eleven of the students originally awarded the scholarship for their studies at the associate’s level matriculated to the bachelor’s level at Daytona State College and continued to receive scholarship money. At the time of this report, a total of 45 S-STARS students had graduated with an associate’s degree, and five students were awarded a bachelor’s degree. The participation of 20 students in Cohorts 1-5 was discontinued because they had poor academic performance or unenrolled from the college. Nine of the S-STARS students awarded the scholarship in spring 2023 are on track to complete their degree after the grant concludes in June 2023.
Last Modified: 09/01/2023
Modified by: Anindya Paul
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