The Nuts & Bolts of Building a STEM

Learning Community

Dr. Loretta Tokoly

Dr. Bernadette Sandruck

HOWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Requirements: 2.5 GPA 250 word essay Letter of recommendation Completion of FAFSA to determine need Must participate in program activities Prospective and current students are eligible While in the program, must maintain full-time

status and 2.5 GPA Selection begins on March 15, 2002

Benefits to students: Mentoring program Tutoring and study groups Small class sizes Career exploration and planning Cultural experiences

Scholarships range up to $3125 per year

National Science Foundation Scholarship ProgramIn the areas of Computer Science, Computer Support Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics For further Information: Attend the 7 p.m. Information Session on Feb. 14, 2002 in the Galleria at HCC or contact us at An information session will be held on February 14 410-772-4599, TDD# 410-772-4822, hsinfo@howardcc.edu

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Activities Room PersonnelSundayAugust 112:30-4:30

Parents & Students- ice breaker- overview of program- tour of facilities (especially

science/computer labs)

HR326 Dan, Bernie

Monday August 12

1:15 Ice Breaker1:30 – 2:15 Myers- Briggs2:30 – 4 Library Scavenger Hunt

L214 BernieNina McHale

TuesdayAugust 13

1 – 3 Stress Management / Test Anxiety/Forming a Study Group3 – 3:30 Using the LAC3:30 – 4 Meet faculty mentors

L214 Alyssa PMargaret G.

WednesdayAugust 14

1 – 4 Interpretation of Myers/Briggs L214

Choose one Attend College Orientation Activities Wednesday Aug. 21, 6 – 8:45pm Friday Aug. 23, 9 am – 12:30

Orientation Week Activities for NSF Scholarship Program (Year One)

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Results of First Scholarship Program

Completion Record Summary

Active 9 21%

Transferred 13 30%

Graduated&Transferred 2 5%

Left Program 19 44%

Changed Major 3 7%

part-time @ HCC 3 7%

work full-time 1 2%

GPA not elig 9 21%

no longer finaid need 1 2%

Personal issues 2 5%Howard Community College Columbia, MD 4

Active21%

Left Pro-gram44%

Completion Summary

Graduated & Transferred 5%

Transferred 30%

Results of First Scholarship Program 2002-2005

Ethnicity

Enrolled  Transferred or Active

  N % N %African American 9 21% 3 33%Asian 11 26% 9 82%Other 2 5% 1 50%American Indian 1 2% 1 100%Hispanic 4 9% 3 75%White 12 28% 4 33%Unknown 4 9% 3 75%         women 6 14% 3 50%

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Afr Amer

Asian

Other

Amer Indian

Hispan

icW

hite

Unknown

women0

2

4

6

8

10

12

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Demographics

EnrolledTransferred or Active

Second Try => Second Grant

Key components•Increased scholarship amounts•Raised GPA•Required a STEM Seminar

Decisions, decisions, decisions….

What needs to be in this seminar? Emphasis on “soft skills” and Team work.

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Criteriona. College level –Pre-Calculus & Science Prep

courses in high school b. Major – Expanded Science -No Health Science

majorsc. High School or College GPA >2.8 d. Not limited to traditional studentse. Required to participate in the 1 credit Human

Development seminar each semester

Decisions, decisions, decisions….

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We advertized• High school guidance counselors /College Advisors• Science Fair• High School Math Competitions• On HCC website• Letters to applicants in select majors• Members of the Rouse Scholars program• “Girl Power” an event at Johns Hopkins APL• Freshman Focus

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Topics for the Pilot Year

• Time Management• Myers-Brigg• Career Speakers• Career investigation• Resume Building• Mock Interviews • Ethics (in the Sciences)• How in give presentations

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Early (Inexpensive) Field Trips

Maryland Science Center Fridays after Five

National Aquarium also has Fridays after Five

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Results from Pilot Year’s Efforts• Positive feed back from

students• Students reflected on their

majors• One student received

$10,000 scholarship• One moved toward

medicine• Students who transferred

received NSF Scholarships from 4-year institutions.

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Seminar Themes

I. Individual Gifts/ Diversity

II. Teamwork

III. Preparing for a career

IV. What Comes Next

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Seminar I. Individual Gifts/ Diversity

• Time management• Library Skills – Scholarly vs

Popular sources• Celebrating Diversity & Odd Man

out Theory –• Sharing our stories• Celebrating what we like in our

field14

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Seminar II. Teamwork

• Read, “Team Moon: How 400,000

People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon”

• Bridge project working in teams• Small Brainstorming team rated

projects• Car races or compound machines on

display

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Seminar III Preparing for a career

• STRONG Interest Inventory • type of work within a career

• Career Speakers• Investigate careers• Possible professional mentors• Prepare resumes• Mock Interviews• Career Presentation

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Seminar IV. What Comes Next

• Ethics in the sciences• How to WOW your audience (tips on

doing a PowerPoint show)• Selected topics( e.g. Statistics,

Cryptography)• Opportunity for a Honors designation

for a 200 level Math or Science course• Student presentation of a topic in a

field related to a current course.20

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Field TripsA favorite part of the seminar

• Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab• Chesapeake Bay Foundation• Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt• Patuxent National Wildlife Refuge, Laurel• NSA and National Cryptographic Museum• Maryland Science Center • National Aquarium

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Our numbers have grownParticipation in the Seminars

19 students in Fall 2008 –Spring 200931 active students in Fall 2011

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Interest 21%N=4NSF

79%N = 15

Fall 2008 Cohort

Interest 48 %N =15NSF 52 %

N = 16

Majors in 2010

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Tech18%

Eng45%

Math6%

Bio-Tech4%

Env3%

Life Sci

10%

Phy Sci & other13%

5%5%

5%11%11%

53%

10%

MAJORS IN 2008

• ALL of the students surveyed said that they had more friends here because of the Seminar

• 85% said they now knew someone who might be a study partner

• 55% said that it led to their being more committed to their field of study

• 25% said the seminar led to their taking more classes at HCC

Some SuccessesResults of a survey Feb. 2011

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Student success2 of our students were among only 80 students nationally selected to work at a NASA site for 3 days.

A Computer Science major took part in a one-to-one mentoring program and internship in Germany summer 2010, she is now at the University of Washington

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More Successes

A Math-Physics major interned 5-10 hours a week for 3 months at Johns Hopkins.

A Science major works with HoLLIE, Howard County Legacy Leadership Institute for the Environment

An Astronomy major has co-written 2 papers and is now attending Villanova University in Astronomy

A Physical Science major just obtained a job in a research lab at her 4-year school.

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Demographics for Fall 2010-Spring 2011

Asian Afr-Am Hispan White Men Women0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

33% n =13

16%n=6

8% n=3

43% n=17

63%n=24

37%n=14

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Of the students attending the seminars for 2 or more semesters: 52% have gotten (AA) degrees (13/25) 92% went on to continue in a STEM field (23/25)

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Additional BenefitGrowth in these majors

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HCC Program/Major Fall 07 Fall 09 Fall 11 % Diff. 2007-2011

Sciences & Sec.Science Educ 41 85 120 192.7%

Computer Science 92 135 190 106.5%Engineering 173 248 290 67.6%Mathematics & Sec. Math Educ. 52 51 44 -15.4%

Growth in STEM 358 519 644 79.9%Overall Growth at HCC 7323 8013 9565 30.6%

Future Plans

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Have already received additional scholarship funds and

Internship opportunities Will apply for additional NSF grants. Develop an honors program focused on STEM majors

• Increase entrance requirements• Additional social activities• Include a Service Learning activity• Incorporate a short session Study Abroad activity

Time to Share

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Please take a few minutes to share with the rest of us the STEM Initiatives on your campus.