Understanding and Evaluating Practices for Integrating Commuter Students in Science, Technology, and Mathematics through Mentoring, Undergraduate Research, and Social Supports

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Valparaiso University, a private four-year undergraduate institution. Over six years, thirty high-achieving, low-income scholars will be awarded scholarships for up to four years.

They will be working towards baccalaureate degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Meteorology, Data Science and Statistics. Low-income students, particularly those who are commuting to college, often face challenges that impede their ability to participate in the various academic and co-curricular activities that are available on a residential college campus.

This project plans to address those challenges through establishing and evaluating practices to integrate commuting students. This project will begin with a multi-faceted, targeted recruitment strategy designed to reach low-income students to encourage application. It will continue with mentoring, undergraduate research, and social support of science, technology, or mathematics (STM) students as they work towards their baccalaureate degree.

The overall goal of this project is to increase STEM degree completion of low-income, high-achieving undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. Specifically, this program focuses on commuter students by improving recruitment, retention, and mentoring strategies, thus preparing a diverse cohort for STM careers. This project has two objectives: 1) Broaden participation in STM by improving recruitment strategies for low-income students, and 2) Identify how retention strategies, both academic and social, change students’ self-efficacy and STM identity.

In partnership with the Admission and Marketing Offices, this project expands recruitment practices to reach low-income commuter students through geo-targeted multimedia advertisement and informational activities. This project supports students’ retention and career development by actively integrating commuter students into the wider campus and scholarly community.

The projects’ scholars have enhanced academic opportunities including: a multi-year research experience, participation in scientific conferences, presenting at departmental colloquia, faculty mentoring, career networking, skill-building, and cohort-building. Social activities include annual retreats, monthly meet-ups, and field trips. The impact of this project will be measured by tracking the effectiveness of recruitment efforts, monitoring student success metrics (GPA, retention and success in the student’s chosen STM major) and surveying both scholars and other STM students, comparing their attitudes and perceptions of their undergraduate experience.

The results of project will also be assessed relative to baseline data. Faculty will share the design and results of the program with others through published articles and conference presentations. This project is funded by NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields.

It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.