| NSF Org: |
EES Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 8, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 29, 2021 |
| Award Number: | 1744491 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Martha James
mjames@nsf.gov (703)292-7772 EES Div. of Equity for Excellence in STEM EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | September 15, 2017 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2021 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $299,952.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $299,952.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
51 COLLEGE RD DURHAM NH US 03824-2620 (603)862-2172 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
Durham NH US 03824-3585 |
| 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): |
Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES, Eddie Bernice Johnson INCLUDES |
| 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 New Hampshire (UNH) NSF INCLUDES Design and Development Launch Pilot project is a collaborative effort with the Community College System of New Hampshire, Advanced Manufacturing (AM) businesses, NH Economic Development, and the University of New Hampshire to address workforce development in the Advanced Manufacturing sector in the state. The Advanced Manufacturing Program (AMP) uses a framework built on the Collective Impact collaboration model that enables AMP partners to innovate, plan, and implement strategies that significantly increase NH's community colleges (CC) as a source for future workers and leaders in AM.
Specifically, this proposal addresses the pressing need for increasing numbers of AM workers through strategies designed to increase the retention of low socioeconomic status (LSES) students in CC STEM degree programs. AMP coordinates four key implementation strategies: 1) Co-requisite remediation within mathematics and quantitative reasoning; 2) Guided Pathways mentorship with "high touch" advising and student guidance resources that combines clearly defined academic pathways leading to 4-year college transfer and job placement; 3) paid work-based learning (WBL) experiences in industry and academic research; and 4) mentor inclusiveness training to prepare the workplace and academic settings to receive LSES students into a supportive climate. Successfully coordinating these four components through the process of Collective Impact collaboration will lead to a flexible and integrated AM workforce pipeline that serves CC AM students, AM industry partners, and the state as a whole. Findings will be disseminated to academic, business, and government stakeholders in NH, the region, and nationally to inform and improve broadening participation initiatives.
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 NH Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (NH AMP) was formed by grant support from the National Science Foundation to test ways to increase the retention rates and success of NH's community college students from backgrounds underrepresented in engineering fields. Retention and success for these students included either advancement into 4-yr engineering degree programs or directly into the Advanced Manufacturing (AM) workforce. The primary NH AMP partners include the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center within the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, UNH Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering. Education, and the Community College System of NH. These partners, along with NH AM businesses, developed together the Vision, Partnership, Goals and Metrics, structure for Leadership and Communication, and Scalability of the project. At NH AMP’s core was to identify and support NH community college students interested to either move directly into AM jobs or onto 4-yr degree pathways in AM engineering. Community college students interested to enter the workforce directly after their 2yr degree participated in paid 10-week summer Work-based Learning program with AM industry partners, while community college students interested to move onto a 4-yr degree program participated in summer paid 10-week research internships in UNH AM engineering research labs.
An important element woven into all students' experiences was quality mentorship training, designed for mentors to work with community college students. All of the Work-based Learning and research mentors were required to complete training on mentorship of students from backgrounds underrepresented in the STEM fields. Program staff experienced with student mentorship supported both students and mentors to assist with tracking progress, reaching goals, communication, and outcomes. Program staff met every 2-weeks with the students and the mentors to check-in on satisfactory progress and to assist with communication and goals. This was important to ensure that after 10-weeks the students and mentors both received value from the program.
Thirteen students participated in this pilot project and the outcome exceeded expectations. Students achieved 100% retention to their degree (2-yr or 4-yr). and placement into graduate school or jobs. Prior to the start of the project, one in four (25%) NH community college students were completing their 2-yr engineering technology degrees. Of the thirteen NH AMP students, six students (46%) continued to UNH for their 4-yr engineering degree. Taken together, these six students have a combined 3.4 GPA (and one student has a 4.0 GPA!) at UNH indicating these students are arriving to UNH academically prepared to succeed and the supports provided by projects like NH AMP are very beneficial to the students’ success.
By the end of NH AMP, seven community college students were placed in academic laboratories and six students in industry placements. All thirteen students were retained on AM career pathways. Four students are now enrolled in a 4-yr degree engineering program (three at University of New Hampshire and one at Southern New Hampshire University; two completed their 4-yr degree at UNH and are now enrolled in Masters and Ph.D. engineering graduate programs at University of New Hampshire and University of Southern California, respectively. Six students found full-time employment. Businesses that hired students were Merrimack Manufacturing (Manchester, NH), Granite State Precision (Keene, NH), Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Hanover, NH), New England Manufactured Outdoor Equipment (Dover, NH), and Pratt & Whitney (North Berwick, ME).
This pilot demonstrated that community colleges are a source of STEM talent capable of advanced academic training and capable to fill many AM job vacancies projected in the future. Providing community college students with paid Work-based Learning and research internship opportunities, along with mentorship training for researchers translates into high positive impact for retaining community college students on AM career pathways.
Last Modified: 12/23/2021
Modified by: Stephen Hale
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