Academic Advising and International Collaboration Agreements

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine and compare the retention and graduation rates of students in a doctoral program in Education that holds collaboration agreements with institutions in Colombia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Results reveal that the number of years to graduate from the program averaged 7.7 years. Seventy-five percent of the participants from Colombia graduated within four years, whereas 75% of participants in the Dominican Republic graduated within 6.7 years. Findings also highlight the importance of program support from academic advising personnel to assist doctoral students in completing their degrees on time.

Evaluation of Stem Engagement Activities On the Attitudes and Perceptions of Mechanical Engineering S-STEM Scholars

Since 2009, the ME STEM Program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County has provided financial support and program activities to ME undergraduate students aiming at improving their retention and graduation rates. The objective of this study is to identify program activities that were most effective to help students for improvements. Current ME S-STEM scholars were asked to complete a survey that measures their scientific efficacy, engineering identity, expectations, integration, and sense of belonging, as well as how program activities impact their attitudes and perceptions. Analyses of 36 surveys showed that scholars reported high levels of engineering identity, expectations, and sense of belonging. However, further improvements were needed to help students in achieving scientific efficacy and academic integration into the program. Results demonstrated that proactive mentoring was the most effective method contributing to positive attitudes and perceptions. The implemented S-STEM research-related activities and internship were viewed favorably by the scholars in helping them establish their scientific efficacy and engineering identity, and understand their expectations and goals. Community building activities were considered helpful for them to integrate into campus life and improve their sense of belonging to the campus and program. Scholars identified mentoring, research related activities, internships, and social interaction with faculty and their peers as important factors for their retention and graduation. Although the sample size was small in the study, we believe that the cost-effective activities identified could be adopted by other institutions to further improve students' retention and graduation rates in engineering programs.

Implementing a Hybrid Summer Transition Program

The mission of the Virginia Commonwealth University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (VCU LSAMP) program is to increase the retention and graduation rates of students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and those who matriculate into graduate programs. VCU LSAMP offers a hybrid summer transition program (HSTP) focused on facilitating the high school to college and two-year to four-year college transition process for students majoring in STEM disciplines. The goals of the program are to 1) build community among a cohort of students, 2) orient students to VCU, 3) prepare students for the academic rigors of their first year in a STEM discipline at VCU, 4) expose students to opportunities and careers in STEM, 5) engage them in the VCU LSAMP program, and 6) provide financial support. Five distinct components of the VCU HSTP are 1) a six-week online summer component, 2) a 1 week on-campus orientation, 3) a Design Project Challenge, 4) a transfer student track, and 5) an academic year component. Evaluation data reveals that the HSTP assisted participants with adjustment to the college schedule and setting, facilitated the formation of study groups, and increased overall motivation to graduate. The online courses helped familiarize students with both the academic topics in their chemistry and mathematics classes and the behaviors and norms of STEM majors. On average, participants in the HSTP had higher retention (85%) and graduation (73%) rates when compared with their peers (81% and 64%, respectively). Furthermore, those students who complete the online classes’ requirements had a higher probability of receiving a grade of B or better in their first mathematics or chemistry class.

What’s Your STEMspiration?: Adaptation and Validation of A Survey Instrument

Millions of dollars each year are invested in intervention programs to broaden participation and improve bachelor degree graduation rates of students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The Virginia–North Carolina Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (VA-NC Alliance), a consortium of 11 higher education institutions and one federal laboratory funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is one such investment., The VA-NC Alliance partners implement evidence-based STEM intervention programs (SIPs) informed by research and specifically designed to increase student retention and graduation rates in STEM majors. The VA-NC Alliance is conducting an Alliance-wide longitudinal research project based in Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) titled “What’s Your STEMspiration?” The goal of the research project is to assess the differentiated impacts and effectiveness of the Alliance’s broadening participation efforts and identify emergent patterns, adding to the field of knowledge about culturally responsive SIPs. In other words, “What’s Your STEMspiration?” explores what influences and inspires undergraduates to pursue a STEM degree and career; and how does the development of a STEM identity support students in achieving their goals. In order to complete this research, the research team developed a survey instrument to conduct the quantitative portion of the study. Two preliminary studies, statistical analysis, and cognitive interviews were used to develop and validate the survey instrument. This paper discusses the theoretical and conceptual frameworks and preliminary studies upon which the survey is built, the methodology used to validate the instrument, and the resulting final survey tool.

Can Undergraduate Research Participation Reduce the Equity Gap?

Undergraduate research (UGR), one of several high-impact practices (HIPs) in education, can positively impact student retention and graduation rates. However, not all students take advantage of UGR opportunities, with fewer students from underrepresented minority groups, those with first-generation status, and students eligible for a Pell grant or federally subsidized loan. We obtained retention and graduation data from our Office of Institutional Research and Planning for all UGR participants for academic years 2009–2010 to 2016–2017. We specifically focused on data for UGR participants from underrepresented demographics that historically have lower retention and graduation rates than those of the overall student body. We created Sankey-like ribbon diagrams to analyze the characteristics of UGR participants, whether they participated in UGR for 1 year or longer, their class standings when they started UGR, retention rates for 1st- and 2nd-year students for the year following their UGR participation, and graduation rates for all participants. Our data show that irrespective of demographics, students who participated in UGR were significantly more likely to persist in college and graduate within 6 years compared to students who did not. Persistence and success in college may depend on students’ socioeconomic status, sense of belonging, and other factors. Assessing the impact of a single HIP, such as UGR, on retention and graduation rates, can, therefore, be complicated. However, our study indicates that UGR participation can significantly improve persistence and success for students traditionally considered “at-risk,” irrespective of their socioeconomic status, family background, or class standing.. This information can be important for campus leaders and other stakeholders interested in facilitating student success and reducing the equity gap by incorporating UGR in more students’ college experiences. We describe our analytical methods and discusses our findings. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of Sankey-like diagrams for visualizing and analyzing large programmatic data sets, and as a tool for communicating program impacts to a general audience.

Culturally Responsive Mentoring Programs

Postsecondary education and training are deemed essential in today's and future job markets. Thus, the lower entry rates into and lower graduation rates from higher education by African American males place them in a long-term crisis economically and socially. Mentoring is strongly recommended as a significant component of comprehensive strategies to improve the retention and graduation rates of African American males. Research reveals that successful retention programs go beyond a one model fits all and are based on the unique characteristics and needs of students. The authors of this chapter assert that mentoring programs designed to improve retention and graduation rates of African American males must be scholarly based and authentically address the cultural needs of those students; therefore, the mentoring program must include culturally relevant constructs. This chapter discusses the design, implementation, and results of the pilot phase of a research-based culturally responsive mentoring program based on optimal psychology for African American males enrolled at a midwestern Predominately White Institution of higher education.

First-Generation Students in Service-Learning Programs

First-generation students count for roughly one-third of the students enrolled in higher education in the United States. However, the retention and graduation rates for first-generation students are much lower than their continuing-generation peers. In this chapter, the authors employ a strengths-based approach to explore institutional service-learning models that lead to improved outcomes for first-generation students. By connecting extant research to practical applications at the institutional level, the authors provide readers with multiple models from which to develop a service-learning program based on first-generation students' assets and strengths rather than their perceived deficits.

See, Reflect, and Act: Using Equity Audits to Enhance Student Success

Promoting the success of all students is one of four institutional goals at Texas State University. Retention and graduation rates provide information regarding the academic progress and success of specific student cohorts. To gain a deeper insight into student success within the undergraduate kinesiology/exercise and sports science program at Texas State University, an equity audit was conducted during the fall 2019 academic semester. An equity audit provides a lens to critically examine institutional data to identify inequities in academic programs and student achievement based on specific variables, such as gender, age, race, and socioeconomic status. This article provides a model for conducting an equity audit in kinesiology/exercise and sports science programs, reports the findings, and highlights strategic actions implemented to combat inequities in student success.