Meeting Abstract
P3.120 Tuesday, Jan. 6 It’s Time to STEP into Science at Medgar Evers College CARROLL, Margaret A.*; SKEETE, Dereck; CATAPANE, Edward J.; Medgar Evers College/CUNY; Medgar Evers College/CUNY; Medgar Evers College/CUNY margie@mec.cuny.edu
Over the next decade, demand and job opportunities in science and engineering (S&E) are expected to continue to grow and questions arise as to whether America will be able to attract enough young people into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to maintain a S&E workforce that is competitive globally; and considering recent U.S. Census reports, will our future STEM workforce reflect the racial and ethnic diversity projected for the growing U.S. population? In 2006, the authors initiated a STEP into Science program at Medgar Evers College. Funded under the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Undergraduate Education, the main goal is to increase the number of STEM majors that graduate with baccalaureate degrees in Biology or Environmental Science. The program has had great success implementing the use of peer recruiters to attract more high school, transfer, and non-science college students into STEM majors and places emphasis on the role of undergraduate research experiences as a successful strategy to increase the quality and retention of science majors through their B.S. degree. Since the inception of the program, total STEM enrollment has more than doubled and the number of majors actively engaged in research has risen 38% with a concurrent increase in student research presentations at scientific conference, and the number of students receiving external research internships and travel awards to attend national conferences. STEM graduates have also increased and the program anticipates that these and future STEP into Science graduates will continue on to Masters and Doctoral programs in STEM and ultimately enter rewarding careers in the science enterprise. Supported by grant 0622197 of the DUE Program of NSF.
