Abstract:

The need to produce more minority professionals and researchers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics is a national priority in the US. At the undergraduate level, this priority is realized in the recruitment and retention of minority students in STEM majors. Medgar Evers College, a minority-serving institution, has implemented a suite of related activities to meet this challenge with an emphasis on Environmental Science, Computer Science and Mathematics majors. These ongoing activities include augmented student services including orientation sessions for entering freshman and transfer students, enhanced faculty-student interaction through career development and research-oriented workshops, monthly symposium with representatives from industry and national research laboratories; midterm grade reporting for early intervention, peer-tutoring workshops in gateway courses and major courses, and student field trips to research centers, national laboratories and research centers. These activities are intended to support the retention of students through their BS degrees as well as provide opportunities for potential career paths or graduate studies post-graduation. This paper describes this project and its impact on student retention rates. The project is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM award as well as supporting grants and initiatives for undergraduate research experiences.

Keywords:

Minority, STEM.