“Culture is your organization’s DNA – the blueprint for everything you do.” - Fast Company Magazine

A Learning Culture of Success: A Cultural Approach for Increasing Diversity & Inclusion in STEM Rafael D. Alvarez - MESA Program Director San Diego City College 2013 Innovations Conference Tuesday, March 12

STEM Culture of Success

Concept Vehicle: Diversity & Inclusion Increased Sense of Belonging Internal Locus of Control Learned Optimism (Empowerment) Validation of Students Self-Efficacy Student Engagement & High Expectations (Proven Interventions for STEM Student Success) Resiliency (Competence in the face of significant challenges to achievement)

A Model for the Inner Core of a Learning Culture of Success

Purpose

 Culture: Definition  A Move Towards Praxis 1.Resiliency 2.Student Engagement & High Expectations 3.Learned Optimism (Empowerment) 4.Self Efficacy 5.Validation of Students 6.Increased Sense Belonging 7.Internal Locus of Control Topics – Engage, Educate, Empower

 "the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group"  "the characteristic features of everyday existence shared by people in a place or time "  "the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization " What is Culture?

The Secret is Culture!

The Model – City’s MESA Program

Capstone

A Model for the Inner Core of a Learning Culture of Success

A Model for the Inner Core of a Learning Culture of Success

 Academic Support & Social Integration  Professional Development  Internships & Research Activities  Mentoring  Summer Bridge STEM: Proven Strategies Common to MESA Model

Culture of Effective Leadership Foundation for Leadership Development

MESA Schools Program ~ 1,600 students San Diego Unified (K–12) – 800 Imperial Valley Unified (K–12) – 800 Community College ~ 365 students San Diego City College – 200 Southwestern College – 165 University (SDSU) ~ 320 students MESA Engineering Program (MEP) Maximizing Science Potential (MSP) - 45 INDUSTRY or Graduate School San Diego Alliance San Diego’s pipeline for tomorrow’s Mathematicians, Engineers & Scientists Serving over 2,200 students

Industry “Standards”: University Bridging Counseling Academic Support Community Industry Exposure MESAdvantage Report Card

A Model for the Inner Core of a Learning Culture of Success

Secret to Success a.k.a. African Village Story “When you find something in life that you want as much as you want to breathe, then you will find the secret to success!”

A Model for the Inner Core of a Learning Culture of Success

 Positive language  Encourage personal & academic growth Language & Culture of Success 1. High expectations 2. Community of learners 3. Focus on performance 4. Learning resources 5. Mentoring 6. Provide strong leadership 7. Collaboration 8. Key learning activities 9. Embrace student potential 10. Help “non-believers”

Responsibility & Choice Victims …  Blame others  Complain  Make excuses  Repeat ineffective behavior  “Have to” do things  Pretend their problems belong to others  “Try”  Give up FAILURE Victims seldom achieve goals Creators …  Accept responsibility  Take actions  Seek solutions  Do something new  “Choose to” do things  Own their problems  Commit & follow through  Take control of their choices & their lives! SUCCESS Creators often achieve goals Reference: Downing, Skip. On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life

Home for the MESA Family!

The Corner Man says … There is no crying in MESA, we’re in this fight to win it!

Questions? Contact: Rafael Alvarez