NSF S‐STEM Program Updates: Cohort 3 of iMASS

Abstract

Lee University’s Integrated Math and Science Scholars (iMASS) program began in the spring of 2015 as a scholarship funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. The purpose of the iMASS program is to introduce students to the vast opportunities for research, industry, and continued education in the fields of science and mathematics while focusing on local and regional opportunities. The iMASS program aims to create a learning community of students, peer mentors, and faculty mentors that aid in the retention of students in the STEM fields. The program seeks to recruit academically talented, financially eligible students with a focus on underrepresented minorities and first‐generation students. We provide a seminar class including resume building, interview tips, and speakers from local graduate programs (the University of Tennessee). We also provide tours of regional facilities (Oak Ridge National Labs and Bayer). For our third cohort, 87% of students receiving the scholarship were retained both at Lee and in STEM to junior year compared with 53% retention of our alternates and associates and 44% retention among overall STEM. We recruited diligently throughout both the fall and spring semesters and we had the students spread the word to others about their experience. This greatly improved the program with a total of 40 applications for the 3rd cohort. In addition, we have built our mentoring program by having the mentors trained before the semester and giving adequate time in class to build these relationships. According to our student surveys, this has significantly improved our mentoring interactions and has now produced a culture of mentoring. In addition, there was an increase in summer research and internships in cohort 3 compared with cohort 2. We believe that this is due to their exposure to the seminar speakers and sessions on REUs that raise the awareness of the students to research opportunities. Therefore, we feel that the iMASS program has begun to be recognized by our students as an enriching opportunity and this has helped with the success of cohort 3.