Frankie S. Laanan - US grants

Iowa State University is developing a set of products to encourage the transfer of female and minority students in community colleges to STEM baccalaureate study. An educational video will present issues and research about the transition from two-year colleges. A Transfer Student Guide will combine research, recommendations, reflection of students, timeline, and a transfer checklist. Finally, a web site will disseminate these two products and other educational resources to educators (two- and four-year institutions), academic counselors/advisors, Transfer Center coordinators, students in two-year colleges, business and industry, researchers, policymakers, and the public.

The significance of this work comes in the understanding that community colleges enroll a significant number of women and ethnic minorities in American higher education. Over one half of all students enrolled in American higher education attend community colleges. These institutions play a prominent role in the educational experiences of college students. In particular, the transfer function in community colleges provides the vehicle to prepare pre-STEM majors in providing the first two years of a general education prior to transferring to a four-year college or university.

Intellectual Merit. The dissemination activities will advance knowledge and understanding within the field of education as well as other fields by utilizing current research and exemplary programs and practices. The Principal Investigator (PI) has over 10 years of experience studying college students and the impact of the community college on students' aspirations, self-concept, and transfer readiness. The primary objective is to provide students enrolled in community colleges with the tools to be successful academically in their pre-STEM preparation as well as the educational capital to be successful in the transfer process to the four-year college or university. These resources are not currently available.

Broader Impacts. This project will contribute a better understanding of the unique role of two-year colleges in providing educational access to ethnic minorities and women to STEM bachelor's degrees. Its products will reach a diverse audience including community college administrators, faculty, academic counseling, retention coordinators, other college personnel, and students. It will highlight the role of two-year minority serving institutions (MSIs). Additionally, it will inform high school teachers about the role and function of community colleges in serving as a viable pathway to a STEM bachelor's degree. The video, Guide, and web site will enable more students to be "transfer ready" to pursue a STEM bachelor's degree.

Iowa State University (ISU) and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) are partnering on this project to increase the number of students graduating with a bachelor's degree in engineering at ISU and the number of students in STEM areas of study at DMACC. Retention is being increased by a new learning community model, called a learning village or meta-community. The learning village model incorporates various learning communities as well as service learning projects for engineering students in their second and third years of study. First-year and gateway engineering courses are being reviewed to better engage students, to provide flexibility, and to support transfer students. The ACCESS program makes gateway courses available through distance education. Student-centered advising broadens the diversity of students enrolled in engineering and makes students aware of the various paths to successfully completing an engineering degree, including transfer from a community college. ISU Extension is a partner on the project to develop the STEM TEC (Talent in Every County) initiative.