Coaching, Advising and Research Experiences (CARE) to Support Low-income Students

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 Kansas State University, working in partnership with Dodge City Community College (DCCC). Over its 5-year duration, this project will fund scholarships to 36 unique full-time students who are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Agricultural Technology Management, Architectural Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Science and Management, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.

Returning sophomore students and incoming transfer students from DCCC and other partners will receive the scholarships for up to 4-years. This project will provide student support that includes academic coaching, additional advising, and research opportunities. Research and evaluation will also be conducted to determine the effectiveness and student perceptions of the project support activities.

This research may help to improve student services in the future and improve outreach and use of services by low-income students.

The overall goal of this project is to increase STEM degree completion of low-income, high achieving undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. In addition to scholarships, students will be provided evidence-based, context-specific interventions including academic coaching. Academic coaching is a one-on-one meeting with a professional to improve skills and performance in areas such as goal setting, study skills, and time management.

Coaching has some similarities to intensive advising but is more focused on personal development and goals outside of a student's academic discipline. The mixed-method project research plan will explore the impacts of academic coaching on retention, academic standing, and graduation among engineering students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Project practices and outcomes will be disseminated across fields, primarily through journal and conference publications.

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.