Ezella McPherson, Ph.D. Wayne State University College of ......questions, empirical observation,...

Ezella McPherson, Ph.D. Wayne State University College of Engineering

Oakland University’s 2nd Annual Retention Conference February 5, 2014

Overview Introduction/My background

Literature Review

Retention Stats

High-Impact Retention Practices

Group Discussion

Conclusions

McPherson, E. (2014, February). High-Impact Practices that Retain Underrepresented STEM Students. OU Student Success Conference. Troy, MI.

My Background Mentor to underrepresented students-2006-present

Academic Advisor- 2009-present

UIUC Access and Achievement Program (including STEM)

Wayne State University (WSU) Engineering Bridge Program

WSU Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

STEM Education Researcher-2010-present

Underrepresented students in STEM


Purpose of this Session To better understand high-impact practices that retain

underrepresented STEM students from my practical experiences when I served postsecondary students transitioning from high school to college and/or students transferring from a 2-year/4-year college to another 4-year college.


Literature Review Low-income and minority students who attend the most

selective colleges and universities are more likely to graduate (Bowen & Bok, 2000; Bowen, Chingos, & McPherson, 2009).

Peer support, faculty support, academic advising, and mentorship aid in minority and underrepresented students’ college retention in STEM (Espinosa, 2011; McPherson, 2013; Ong, Wright, Espinosa, & Orfield, 2011).

In this presentation, underrepresented students are defined as low-income, minorities, women (in STEM) and adult learners in STEM majors.

Research has shown that minorities and women are underrepresented in STEM fields and careers (Committee on Underrepresented Groups and the Expansion of the Science and Engineering Workforce Pipeline et al., 2011, National Science Foundation, 2011, 2013).


Access and Achievement Program

Retention Statistics for Undeclared Women of Color Students


UIUC Access and Achievement Program FTIAC Fall 2009-Fall 2010 Retention (Fall 2009 cohort)

(20, 87%)

(3, 13%)


Freshmen Women of Color

UIUC Access and Achievement Program FTIAC Fall 2010-Fall 2011 Retention (Fall 2010 cohort)

(100%, 16) Freshmen Women of Color


College of Engineering Retention Statistics

for Undeclared Engineering Students


WSU Engineering Bridge Program: Fall 2012 to Winter 2013 Retention

87%

13%

39 Returned

6 Stopped Out


WSU Fall 2012 [no meetings] Early Academic Advising

66%

34%

25 Academic Probation

13 Good Standing

[ 38/66]

Winter 2013 Academic Standing


WSU Fall 2012 [meetings] Early Academic Advising

29%

71% 8 Academic Probation

20 Good Standing

[ 28/66]

Winter 2013 Academic Standing


High-Impact Practice 1: Living Learning Community


Learning Communities (Kuh, 2008) “The key goals for learning communities are to

encourage integration of learning across courses and to involve students with “big questions” that matter beyond the classroom.”

“Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work closely with one another and with their professors.”


High-Impact Practice 2: Academic Advising


High-Impact Practice 3: Research

Virginia Air & Space Center - Latino Day May 2005

Sidney Gutierrez, Guillermo Gonzalez, Debbie Martinez, and Miguel Alvarez.

(Left to Right)

Latina Women of NASA

NASA Langley Research Center(LaRC)


Undergraduate Research (Kuh, 2008)

“Many colleges and universities are now providing research experiences for students in all disciplines.”

“The goal is to involve students with actively contested questions, empirical observation, cutting-edge technologies, and the sense of excitement that comes from working to answer important questions.”


Research continued Doc McStuffins and Dr. Myiesha Taylor, ER

Doctor and founder of the Artemis Medical Society

“I wanted a field where you can potentially immediately change the outcome of someone’s illness. There’s a golden hour, where if you can get to the hospital, we can sew up the holes and keep your heart working. But if the hole is not repaired in that hour, your body loses the ability to compensate. I think that if my dad had gone to the hospital within that hour, maybe he could have been saved.” Dr. Taylor


Conclusions Know Your Students

Understand Their Concerns

Refer Them to Campus Resources

Provide Them with Information on Opportunities (e.g., research, study abroad, internships)

Use high-impact practices to retain your underrepresented STEM students!


Ezella McPherson, Ph.D. Wayne State University College of ......questions, empirical observation,...

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