SAFE Passage to Social and Academic Support First Year STEM Identity and Belonging Interventions for Under-resourced Students

Abstract

Institutions of higher education continue to grapple with the challenges associated with increasing access to STEM learning and STEM majors for resource-limited students. Longstanding differences among well and under-resourced student groups with respect to STEM course enrollment, STEM major retention and persistence, and research opportunities persist despite decades of research on interventions. This article reports on outcomes of a cohort-based, multi-pronged S-STEM scholarship program at a small liberal arts institution for Pell-eligible first-year students that focuses on reducing college transition anxiety; building peer and mentor networks in STEM; providing gateway science course cohort learning; and layering multiple levels of advising and experiential learning. Results suggest that student participants enroll in more STEM courses, demonstrate lower rates of attrition, participate in experiential learning opportunities at much higher rates, and exhibit higher rates of STEM identity, identification as a scientist, and a sense of belonging in science than students in reference and/or control groups. Using mixed-methods data from surveys and focus groups, key components of program success are identified and discussed.