Improving Academic Self-Concept and STEM Identity Through a Research Immersion: Pathways to STEM Summer Program

Undergraduate research opportunities have been demonstrated to promote recruitment, retention, and inclusion of students from underrepresented groups in STEM disciplines. The opportunity to engage in hands-on, discovery-based activities as part of a community helps students develop a strong self-identity in STEM and strengthens their self-efficacy in what can otherwise be daunting fields. Kansas State University has developed an array of undergraduate research opportunities, both in the academic year and summer, and has established a management infrastructure around these programs. The Graduate School, which hosts its own Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program aimed at URM and first-generation college students, coordinates the leadership of the other grant-funded programs, and conducts a series of enrichment and networking activities for students from all the programs. These include professional development as well as primarily social sessions. The Kansas LSAMP, led by Kansas State University, created a summer program aimed at under-represented minority community college students enrolled in STEM fields to recruit them into research opportunities at K-State. There has been strong interest in the program, which incorporated university experience elements in addition to an introduction to STEM research and the four-year university. In the 5 years since the program’s inception, cohorts of nine to fourteen students came to K-State each year for eight-week experiences and took part in both cohort-based sessions and individual mentored research experiences. The two-fold focus of this program, Research Immersion: Pathways to STEM, has resulted in the majority of the students presenting a poster at a national conference and transferring to a STEM major at a four-year institution. Survey results showed that the program was successful at improving STEM identity and academic self-concepts. Qualitative feedback suggested that the two parts of the program worked together to increase interest and self confidence in STEM majors but also ensured that students connect with other students and felt comfortable in the transition to a 4-year institution.

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“I’ve Never Had to Do This on My Own”

10.1093/oso/9780197586693.003.0008 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 95-109

Author(s):

Kevin Correa ◽

Sylvia Symonds

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Student Retention ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

First Generation ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

State University ◽

Arizona State University ◽

Additional Information ◽

First Generation College

Receiving an acceptance letter to college can be both exciting and daunting for many students. For some, attending college has been an expectation since birth, but for others they will be the first in their family to attend. This chapter identifies ways to support emerging adults, including advising, mentoring, and coaching as they transition to the college campus and remain to complete their studies. Additional information on the challenges faced by first-generation college students is provided as well. The case study describes the First-Year Success (FYS) Center at Arizona State University. Guiding questions help readers consider how they might increase student retention and success at their own institutions.

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Undergraduate research opportunities in microelectronics at Boise State University

Proceedings of the Fourteenth Biennial University/Government/Industry Microelectronics Symposium (Cat. No.01CH37197) ◽

10.1109/ugim.2001.960298 ◽

2002 ◽

Author(s):

S. Burkett ◽

J. Lusth ◽

D. Russell ◽

W.B. Knowlton ◽

S. Parke

Keyword(s):

Undergraduate Research ◽

State University ◽

Research Opportunities

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STEM PIONEERS: INCREASING SCIENCE LITERACY SKILLS AND STEM MAJORS AMONG FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS

10.1130/abs/2018am-323764 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Joshua C. Galster ◽

◽

Julie Dalley ◽

Nina Goodey ◽

Dirk Vanderklein

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

First Generation ◽

Science Literacy ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Literacy Skills ◽

Stem Majors ◽

First Generation College

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Creating More Inclusive Research Environments for Undergraduates

Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning ◽

10.14434/josotl.v21i1.30101 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Heather Haeger ◽

Corin White ◽

Shantel Martinez ◽

Selena Velasquez

Keyword(s):

First Generation ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Research Participation ◽

First Generation College Students ◽

Pell Grant ◽

Student Survey ◽

Research Experiences ◽

Stem Majors ◽

Research Environments ◽

Majority Students

Although there are numerous evidence-based benefits to undergraduate research for new-majority students (students who are from traditionally underrepresented ethnicities, first-generation college students, students from lower-income families, or transfer students) (Hurtado, S. et al., 2011; Kinzie et al., 2008a; Lopatto, 2007), they are less likely to participate or stay in mentored research experiences (Finley & McNair, 2013; Haeger et al., 2015). In order to determine not only who has access to undergraduate research, but to also identify what barriers to full-inclusion exist for new-majority students, we conducted a mixed methods study at a public, Hispanic Serving Institution. We analyzed institutional data to explore who participates in research and who does not. We also specifically sampled a group of students who expressed an interest in research experiences but who never actually participated for our student survey (N=96). Additionally, we conducted five focus groups with students, staff, and faculty (N~30). We found positive results in the analysis of patterns of participation and found no significant or substantial differences between students who did or did not participate in undergraduate research in terms of race/ethnicity, gender, or first-generation status. The undergraduate researcher population did have significantly more STEM majors and Pell grant recipients. The qualitative analysis identified barriers to participation in research in the following areas: access to research opportunities, programmatic structures, research culture and norms, and campus climate. We present these findings along with descriptions of initiatives that have been successful in diversifying research participation and strategies to create more inclusive research environments.

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An Undergraduate Research Approach That Increased Student Success at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI): The SURE Program at Texas State University

Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research ◽

10.18833/spur/4/1/18 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 52-62

Author(s):

Daniel A. Brown ◽

◽

Nina B. Wright ◽

Sylvia T. Gonzales ◽

Nicholas E. Weimer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Student Success ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Holistic Approach ◽

Control Group ◽

Research Approach ◽

Summer Program ◽

State University ◽

Research Experience ◽

Professional Programs ◽

Hispanic Serving

The STEM Undergraduate Summer Research Experience (SURE) Program provides a holistic approach to undergraduate summer student research to increase student success at the Hispanic-serving Texas State University. Re the 2017–2019 cohorts (composed of 62 undergraduates), 97 percent persisted after the summer program. After the SURE Program, overall and STEM GPAs were higher in the 2017–2019 cohorts as compared to the control group. Thirty-nine percent are attending graduate or professional programs.

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