The S-STEM Scholars Program: A Look Back and Lessons Learned

Final Paper pdf 227KB

Financially needy students typically must work to support their academic pursuits, thus reducing the time they have to devote to study or to participate in professional development activities that can contribute to their future success. Begun in 2010 and concluding in 2016, the S-STEM Scholars Program at Western Michigan University (WMU) was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation with the goal of providing increased opportunities for financially needy but academically talented students in STEM disciplines within the WMU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The S-STEM Scholars were tracked throughout their undergraduate degree programs, and data collected to measure student success. Data included retention rate, time to degree, student participation in professional development activities, internship and co-op placements, and rate of success for post-graduation employment or graduate program enrollment. This paper focuses on outcomes measuring the level of the program’s success, as well as lessons learned. The S-STEM Scholar program results should be useful to faculty considering similar engineering education undertakings at their site.

Author(s):

Andrew Kline    
Chemical Engineering
Western Michigan University
United States

Betsy Aller    
Engineering Design, Manufacturing, and Management Systems
Western Michigan University
United States

Ikhlas Abdel-Qader    
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Western Michigan University
United States

Edmund Tsang    
Western Michigan University
United States