Ardis Eschenberg, Ph.D. - US grants

The purpose of this planning grant is to thoroughly evaluate Nebraska Indian Community
College's (NICC's) current STEM resources, assess STEM needs of the institution, and from this
create a comprehensive STEM development plan. At each step of the process, the Tribal
communities will be involved through Talking Circles, allowing for community input and also
bringing STEM issues to the forefront in the communities. Results of findings will be
disseminated to the Tribes and to other Tribal colleges, as well as through the internet.

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the Nation's indigenous students. Expanding the outreach, research, and STEM instructional capacity at these institutions expands the opportunities for students to pursue challenging, rewarding careers in STEM fields, provides for research studies in areas that may be locally relevant, and encourages a faculty community to look beyond the traditional classroom for intellectual and professional growth. This project aligns directly with that goal, and moreover will serve as a model for novel pathways to careers in the geosciences for students underrepresented in that field.

The Partnerships in Geoscience Education (PAGE) collaborative among these Hawaii community colleges and the University of Hawaii Department of Oceanography will implement a strategic approach to increasing the number and success of Native Hawaiians majoring in the geosciences that will include outreach to local high schools, the implementation of a summer bridge that will increase mathematics readiness through calculus, the infusion of Native Hawaiian traditional knowledge into an expanded geoscience curriculum at the participating institutions, locally and culturally relevant research opportunities for undergraduates, community outreach to share the results of that research, and the engagement of environmental science specialists at each participating institution to ensure the greatest likelihood of students' academic success.

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in order to diversify the STEM workforce. The Bridge to the Baccalaureate (B2B) track in the LSAMP program provides support for alliances of community colleges (2-year institutions) to accelerate the transfer of students from racial and ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines to four-year institutions. It is expected that B2B alliances provide a bridge to the baccalaureate degree for STEM students from underrepresented populations who begin their instruction at a community college. The University of Hawaii Community Colleges (UHCC's) have formed a strategic transfer alliance for Native Hawaiian and other underrepresented students in Hawaii. This LSAMP B2B Alliance, called the Strategic Transfer Alliance for Minority Participation (STAMP), led by the University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College, will support and advance STEM education and increase transfer rates for these six community colleges and the University of Hawaii Maui College.

The B2B STAMP will implement proven strategies and activities to increase the number of Native Hawaiian and other underrepresented students transferring annually into baccalaureate STEM degree programs by ~11% per year over the next 3 years (from 205 to 300). B2B STAMP will employ three strategies for success: 1) math acceleration for first and second year students, 2) peer mentoring, and 3) undergraduate research experiences (URE) for students as they mature academically in their sophomore year and transition to baccalaureate STEM degrees. The B2B STAMP retention and progression strategy of providing math acceleration, peer mentoring and undergraduate research experiences will strengthen the next generation of STEM Scholars who can compete in the STEM workforce while advancing science, technology, and sustainability goals and achievements for the people of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.