CSU STEM VISTA

Building Institutional Capacity for a Stronger Baccalaureate

RFP Available at: www.calstate.edu/cce/stem/initiatives/vista

CSU’s Vision for STEM Student Success

Building Institutional Capacity for a Stronger Baccalaureate

CSU URM STEM Student Success

At-A-Glance

CSU STEM Student Success Vision

Developed as part of the PKAL-Keck STEM Education Framework Project

Our diverse pool of STEM graduates, with their unique qualifications and talent, is prepared to

successfully meet the challenges and opportunities of our global society.

How does can the CSU STEM VISTA Program help achieve this?

• Support and reward implementation of effective High Impact Practices (HIPs) that work best for our students, particularly traditionally under-represented students (referred as the “low-hanging fruit” in the graph)

• Create stronger connections among campus and systemwide programs to increase sharing and efficiency for the benefit of STEM students and faculty

• Enhance the K-16 STEM pipeline by improved articulation of practices and curriculum

• Engender STEM graduates and faculty that reflect California’s demography

WHAT IS VISTA?(Volunteers in Service to America)

1963“To help provide urgently needed services in urban and rural poverty areas.”

–John F. Kennedy

“Your pay will be low; the conditions of your labor often will be difficult. But you will have the satisfaction of leading a great national effort and you will have the ultimate reward which comes to those who serve their fellow man.”

–Lyndon B. Johnson

1965

War on Poverty

What is VISTA?

VISTA Fast Facts:

• serve one year

• live and serve in some of the poorest urban and rural areas

• have passion and commitment

• create or expand programs

Ultimate goal: poverty alleviation

Eligibility Requirements

1.Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) Department/College

2.California State University

WHAT IS THE CSU STEM VISTA PROGRAM?

What is the CSU STEM VISTA Program?

• 3- year grant

Corporation for National and

Community Service(CNCS)

Center for Community Engagement

(CCE)

CSU STEM Departments

Link education and community engagement to help alleviate poverty in two areas:

1. support CSU STEM student success2. support K-12 student success in STEM

• 1- year grant

• Program Goal

What is the CSU STEM VISTA Program?

• Eligible CSU STEM departments and Colleges submit a proposal to host a VISTA for one year• July 14, 2014 - July 15, 2015. • Multi-year grants will NOT be awarded• Being awarded a VISTA position in year 1 does not

guarantee a position in subsequent years

• VISTA proposals should include a realistic scope of work that can be achieved in one year

• Things to Consider:• How the VISTA member can fit into your overall vision for

STEM student success?• If you have an interest in hosting a VISTA in subsequent

years, what would your long term-plan look like?

How are the Four Core Principles of AmeriCorps*VISTA

Connected to the CSU STEM VISTA Program?

Four Key Principles

Anti-PovertyCommunity Empowerme

nt

Capacity Building

Sustainable Solutions

Anti-Poverty FocusCSU STEM VISTA program focuses on alleviating poverty by linking education and

community engagement.

Example: A STEM department may choose to increase CSU STEM student success among

traditionally under-represented student populations by working with a nonprofit, school or other community-based organization or volunteer group.

Traditionally under-represented student populations: students from low-socio-economic backgrounds, females, students of color, and first generation students

Community Empowerment

Community: CSU STEM student populations, the external community (nonprofit agencies, industry partners, schools, youth agencies or programs, government

agencies), faculty, staff, alumni.

VISTA proposals should involve community members in planning,

developing, and implementing the VISTA project allowing low-income individuals

to speak for themselves in determining the project that best suit their needs.

Strong applications will define who/what represents their community and why that

community was selected. It is important that the defined community

be involved in the CSU STEM VISTA Program as an equal partner.

Capacity BuildingVISTA expands the ability of organizations to fight poverty by:

• building infrastructure• expanding community partnerships• securing long-term resources• coordinating training for participants• and more!

Sustainable SolutionsVISTAs serve as a short-term resource to help sponsor

organizations achieve lasting solutions to poverty.

HOW ARE THE CORE PRINCIPLES LINKED TO WHAT VISTAS CAN DO?

How are the core principles linked to what VISTAs can do?

VISTA Core Principles

CSU STEM VISTA

Program

CSU Priorities

Similar goals:

• Increase graduation rates

• Increase retention

• Increase the number of students entering STEM degree programs

• Increase the number of students entering the STEM workforce

VISTA Activities: Fundamentals

Indirect Service

Direct Service

Direct Service Activities:• Serve as a Tutor

Indirect Service Activities:• Establish a tutoring

program

VISTA Activities: Linking back to the four core principles

• Providing resources to at-risk student populations so they can graduate and enter STEM workforce

Anti-Poverty

• Working collaboratively with students as part of the advising process

Community Empowerment

• Creation or enhancement of a system and process for the STEM student success within the department

Capacity Building

• VISTA will transfer their knowledge, products, and relationships so the program can be sustained after their year of service

Sustainable Solutions

IF AWARDED, WHAT ARE THE HOST DEPARTMENT/COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS?

Host Site Requirements:Identify a supervisor

Support/work with the VISTA member to submit quarterly reports to the CCE

Provide support

Identify a Supervisor• Day-to-day supervision and support

• Regularly scheduled meetings

• Serve as the point of contact with the VISTA Program Manager in the CO

• Participate in 3 trainings (in-person and virtual)

• Accommodate at least one site visit

• Conduct mid- and end-of-year progress check-ins and professional development reviews with the VISTA• (Templates will be provided)

Support VISTAs with quarterly reports to the CCE• VISTA members will track and report quarterly

to the CCE via an online reporting tool

• A sample of the report will be distributed at the start of the VISTA member’s year of service

• Strong applications will describe how their department plans to support the VISTA in collecting qualitative and quantitative data

Examples: • “the department will work closely with Institutional Research Office to analyze the

breakdown of graduation rates within the STEM department.”

• “the VISTA will create an excel spreadsheet, or use an existing database, to track volunteers, volunteer hours,” etc.”

Provide SupportMust provide the list of required items in the RFP:• Comfortable space with all the necessary office supplies• Conduct a community and campus orientation

• CCE will provide guidance and support in the development of this orientation

• Travel budgetIt is encouraged that departments help in identifying additional resources, such as:• Assistance in securing housing (on-campus

housing or off)• Housing allowance• Meal plan• Subway/bus pass• Parking permit• Assistance accessing resources locally

VISTA RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

How VISTAs are recruited:AmeriCorps• National AmeriCorps Portal

CSU Campuses• Host departments/Colleges• Service learning/community

engagement centers• STEM affinity groups• Career centers• STEM student organizations

The Chancellor’s Office• Center for Community Engagement

Recruitment Timeline:February 21st

• Host Site Proposals Due

Mid-March• Host Site Award Notification

End of April

• VISTA Recruitment and Hiring Complete

July 14th, 2014

• VISTA’s year of service begins

Host Department/College’s Role in Recruitment

• CCE will ask departments/Colleges if they think they will recruit someone locally or are planning on utilizing the national recruitment candidate pool

• Departments/Colleges can chose to facilitate their own recruitment and selection process• But it must meet CCE’s recruitment

schedule, applicants must be forwarded to CCE by end of March 2014

Hosting Benefits and Challenges

National RecruitBenefits:

• Fresh perspective• See their year as “national service”• More likely to complete their year

of service

Challenges:• Not familiar with community• No local support group• Unaware of local resources

(housing, transportation, etc.)• Motivations: the work or the

location?

Local RecruitBenefits:• Familiar with the community• Existing support groups• Knowledgeable about local

resources (housing, transportation, etc.)

Challenges:• May have pre-existing

ideas/beliefs about community• More likely to end service year

early; see their year as volunteering/helping out

CCE MAKES ALL FINAL DECISIONS ABOUT CANDIDATE SELECTION AND PLACEMENT

All candidates, whether identified through the host department/College or through the CCE’s national recruitment,

must submit application materials and references via the AmeriCorps online application system and submit the CCE’s

application materials

WHAT BENEFITS DO VISTAS RECEIVE?

VISTA Member Benefits

• Modest monthly living stipend• Paid for by CCE’s CNCS grant and set at 110% of the local

poverty level• Relocation allowance (only members moving 50+ miles)• Health coverage• Childcare assistance (if eligible)• Loan deferment/forbearance (if eligible)• Upon completion of service, choice of:• Segal Education Award ($5,500 scholarship)

OR• End-of-Service Stipend ($1,500 cash)

VISTA Member Benefits

Numerous Professional Development and Training Opportunities• Pre-Service Orientation (PSO): Facilitated by the Corporation for

National and Community Service (CNCS) to hone and develop skill sets that will prepare them for life as a VISTA

• On-Site Orientation and Training: Facilitated by the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) at the CSU Chancellor’s Office will be project and site specific and based on the goals of the CSU STEM VISTA program

• Ongoing Professional Development and Training: Facilitated by CCE and outside presenters, topics determined by VISTA members’ interests (VISTA members also have access to VISTAcampus.org that offers online tools and courses)

APPLICATION SUGGESTIONS

VISTA Job Description

• Title of VISTA Position• VISTA Goals and Expectations:• Describe the overall goals and

expectations of the VISTA position• VISTA Activities: • 5-10 examples activities that will help

achieve the proposal’s goals• Qualifications: • Briefly list qualifications you feel are

necessary for the VISTA to be successful

A year in someone’s life

Year-at-a-Glance• 1 year• 12 months• 52 weeks• 365 days• 8,760 hours• 525,600 minutes• 31,536,000 seconds

How can you make it the best?• Help identify additional

resources• Consider how you can

make transitions smooth• Develop a feasible and

exciting assignment plan

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCESS

Proposal Assistance SessionsAsk about:

• AmeriCorps*VISTA• CSU STEM VISTA Program• Proposal submission process• Proposal development

• And more

Sign-up for a session at:https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F8LGRM5

Continue to check www.calstate.edu/stem/initiatives/vista for updated FAQs

Important Proposal Dates

Proposals Due

February 21st, 2014

Host Site Notificatio

n mid-March

Recruit Early!

Thank you!

Questions?

Contact: Kristina Barger, VISTA Program Manager

kbarger@calstate.edu562-951-4275