The Nova Southeastern University HSI³ conference plan was to cover topics designed to generate ideas, inspiration, and innovation among participating Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). The conference was designed to motivate attendees who would be most likely to develop high quality ideas responsive to NSF?s broader mission and interests, encouraged to transform their thoughts into inventive actionable solutions to be submitted to the new NSF HSI grant program in 2018, as well as to other public and private funding opportunities.

Attendees left better prepared to create stronger STEM learning opportunities at their home institutions. The sessions specifically targeted topics addressing connections between two-year and four-year institutions, industry and education, and faculty and students. Conference sessions covered different aspects of strategic enrollment, retention, graduation, and articulation interventions, focusing on reducing impediments to learning, and building a flexible, supportive, and effective academic pathway, making STEM programs a realistic degree option for more Hispanic students.

Attendance was diverse: a total of 61 individuals attended (22% above the target of 50), representing 32 different institutions in 16 different states. Based on the conference?s physical location in Florida, coupled with Florida being ranked 3^rd in Hispanic population, conference planners were very pleased with the broad geographic diversity of states represented. This wide scope diversified professional networking opportunities and increased attendee awareness of the depth and breadth of interest throughout the nation in strengthening STEM education for Hispanic students. Nearly 64% of attendees were female, and just under 50% represented two-year institutions, meeting the conference goal of having equal representation between two-year and four-year institutions.

The majority of attendees were motivated to learn more about the new NSF HSI grant competition (75%), and to engage in professional networking (71.88%). Other motivations pertained to strengthening instruction ? undergraduate research was the highest (65.63%), and the next highest, 62.50%, was inter-institutional relationships. Nearly 91% of attendees indicated that networking opportunities were sufficient and that presenters were knowledgeable; 80% reported that the conference met their expectations, and 75.01% reported an increase in knowledge about NSF grants. Conference attendees served as inaugural participants in a new listserv dedicated to discussions on STEM-related HSI issues, providing a mechanism for them to continue to engage in post-conference networking.

Attendee feedback revealed five primary suggestions to strengthen learning at HSIs: (1) Identify more ways to let students hear from industry and alumni (especially ones who are closer in age to students) who are working and/or are in higher-level programs; (2) Increase student understanding of what math and science have to do with STEM careers (relevance), strengthen link between science and math; (3) Strengthen academics - expand modes of instruction, active learning, interdisciplinary approach to learning, authentic research experiences incorporated into classes and labs (campus based), more individualized, increase faculty professional development/training; (4) Strengthen support services - faculty and peer mentoring, STEM specific advising, connect with professional and student organizations, more follow up with students through their programs and after, help starting college for low income and first generation students; and (5) Increase collaboration, including inter-institutional coordination of higher education resources and programs, and partnerships with K-12 (invite superintendents to create alliances).

The conference satisfied the original proposal?s focus on intellectual merit by providing an opportunity to disseminate effective, research-informed best practices in STEM education at the two-year and four-year college level to an HSI audience. Focusing conference resources on establishing collaborations, resource discovery and sharing, professional development, and expanded participation in diverse thought, experiences, and approaches, will ultimately increase the collective intellectual capital of the US by impacting learning among Hispanics and other underrepresented groups who have the potential to succeed in greater numbers. Ultimately, actions taken as a result of attending the conference will produce opportunity equity outcomes that advance the body of knowledge regarding learning factors that impact student success and approaches to learning that motivate diverse populations of students who pursue academically rigorous STEM degrees.

In terms of broader impacts, conference session topics were designed to facilitate transformation of the STEM learning process for all students who attend HSIs, particularly Hispanics and others who are underrepresented, by stimulating ideas, inspiration, and innovation among conference participants. The conference benefitted society by sharing effective models for training the future STEM workforce, and increasing the participation of underrepresented groups. Knowledge gained will lead to long-range increases in the number and diversity of undergraduate students recruited and retained in STEM education, broadening participation and institutional capacity for STEM learning. Replicated strategies and new initiatives resulting from conference attendance will improve the preparation of undergraduate students so they can succeed as productive members of the future STEM workforce, regardless of career path, and be engaged as members of a STEM-literate society.

Last Modified: 11/02/2018
Modified by: Meline M Kevorkian