1. A Model for Recruiting Early Underclassmen into STEM Majors through Partnership among a Historically Black University, a Primarily White University, and Community Colleges
Barrett N. Rocka, Stephen R. Halea, Linda Haydenb, Barbara Johnsonb, John Lutonb, Karen Grahama
aUniversity of New Hampshire, Durham, NH; bElizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, NC
Acknowledgements: We thank the following organizations for their assistance.
National Science Foundation STEP Grant (# )
White Mountain National Forest
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Currituck Heritage Park
Merrymeeting River Canoe Trip – Watershed Watch 2008
Shakira Turner cores a balsam fir in NH – Watershed Watch 2006
Abstract
Results
Approximately 50% of all Watershed Watch students have declared a STEM major or are probable to declare a STEM major.
Approximately 62% of ECSU Watershed Watch students declared or intend to declare a STEM major.
30-40% of students from UNH and the community college partners declared or intend to declare a STEM major
The baseline rate of STEM declaration at UNH is 20%. UNH Watershed Watch students declared STEM majors at 39% (2x) the baseline.
Since 2005, the Watershed Watch Project (NSF STEP-# ) has developed a partnership dedicated to increasing the number of STEM majors among its partnering institutions. These include the University of New Hampshire (Lead), a Primarily White University; Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), a Historically Black University; and two community colleges, each associated with one of the universities. Of 101 undeclared/undecided early underclassmen, approximately 49% of students declared or were likely to declare a STEM major. The greatest impact among partner institutions was observed at ECSU, where 62% of students will declare or will be likely to declare a STEM major. UNH and the community college students declared STEM majors at rates ranging from 30%-40%. At UNH, baseline data for undeclared students declaring STEM majors is 20%. The achieved successes have been through the partnership’s intentional efforts to enhance a culture and practice of research opportunities beginning with early underclassmen. While the overall numbers of students impacted in the project are modest, the results demonstrate a 2x-3x enhancement in recruitment into STEM majors. The project has moved into its sustainability, institutionalization, and dissemination phases. In these phases, the two universities have institutionalized aspects of Watershed Watch either in discovery coursework for early undergraduates, or as part of larger efforts in community engagement. Watershed Watch was instrumental in ECSU’s recent receiving of the Carnegie Foundation’s Community Engagement designation. The partnership continues to enhance the research and diversity cultures in each other’s campuses through annual participation and exchanges in campus research symposia and other research exchanges for undergraduates and faculty.
Watershed Watch Data
2-Year Colleges
4-Year Colleges
Sustainability
The University of New Hampshire is sustaining the Watershed Watch research experience by
Listing Watershed Watch as a tuition-supported, credit-bearing biology course;
Listing Watershed Watch as an Inquiry Course selection. All Freshmen must take at least one Inquiry Course to satisfy their requirement under UNH’s Discovery Course Curriculum (replaces former General Education curriculum).
Elizabeth City State University
Enhanced culture of undergraduate research;
Growing number of presenters at ECSU Research Week – with many coming from Watershed Watch program;
Partnership with UNH and similar programs led to Community Engagement recognition by Carnegie Foundation in 2010.
49%
COA – College of the Albemarle; GBCC – Great Bay Community College; ECSU – Elizabeth City State University; UNH – University of New Hampshire; DNF – Did not finish school
Baseline Data
On average, from 2004 – 2006, 20% of Undeclared UNH Freshmen and Sophomores not in the Watershed Watch Program go on to declare a STEM major (Table 1.)
Data on the partnering institutions baseline STEM major declaration rates was not available.