Initiatives for Community College Students Tamara Hamilton, Syracuse University Drake Harrison, Onondaga Community College Tomicka Wagstaff, Rochester.

Initiatives for Community College Students

Tamara Hamilton, Syracuse UniversityDrake Harrison, Onondaga Community College

Tomicka Wagstaff, Rochester Institute of Technology

Overview •ULSAMP: Who We Are?

•Why is supporting community college students important?

•ULSAMP Community College Initiatives

•Next Steps

Upstate LSAMP Established in 2007, the goal of the ULSAMP is to recruit, retain, and graduate an increasing number of URM students in STEM fields and to provide early student research experiences to foster graduate school enrollment.

URM STEM Fall Undergraduate Enrollment

Source: ULSAMP Institutional Data

Bachelor’s Degrees Awarded to URM STEM Students

Source: ULSAMP Institutional Data

Why is supporting community college students important?

Objective #2: Increase the number of students transferring from Alliance and non-Alliance member community colleges to four-year STEM studies at Alliance universities by 20%.

Source: ULSAMP Institutional Data

2013 (Baseline)

2014 2017 Target

28 44(+57%)

34

ULSAMP Initiatives

●Transfer Fairs ●Visits to Four-Year Institutions ●Summer Bridge Programs ●Academic Boot Camps ●Undergraduate Research Experiences ●Conference Participation●Graduate School Preparation

Transfer Fairs ● STEM-focused transfer fairs designed and executed by the OCC

CSTEP/LSAMP Office

● Target alliance partners

● Develop faculty/student/administrators network

● Provide venue for students to individually meet with campus representatives to discuss their specific situations

Visits to Four-Year Institutions • Traditional campus visits

-Syracuse University (proximity to OCC and role as lead institution for alliance provide opportunities for visits)

-Rochester Institute of Technology (Imagine RIT, yearly in May)

• Detailed campus visit-Institution to visit selected by student vote after attending the Transfer Fair

-Successful “prototype” visit: Clarkson University (April 2014) – Two OCC LSAMP students and one MCC LSAMP student transferred to Clarkson University for the fall 2014 semester

• Detailed campus visit includes:-Meetings with admissions-related personnel, STEM faculty, OCC or other community college alumni and current STEM students

-Campus tour including STEM labs and participation in student event(s) (e.g., basketball game or movie)

-Hosting of community college students by four-year institution students (dorm experience)

-Discussion of potential summer research experiences (students receive information regarding opportunities at this particular institution before the visit

OCC Transfer Initiative: Transfer Fairs, Campus Visits and Summer Research

Summer Bridge Programs: OCC OCC hosts a six-week program, initially offered in summer 2013

2013 (Total of 24 students)

MAT-161 (Calculus I) Class average: 94.2% 12 students

CHE-104 (Chemistry II) Class average: 86.3% 12 students

2014 (Total of 36 students)

MAT-161 (Calculus I) Class average: 93.4% 11 students

MAT-162 (Calculus II) Class average: 85.7% 10 students

CHE-103 (Chemistry I) Class average: 83.5% 15 students

Key component for student success: Intensive, three-tiered tutoring

Summer Bridge Programs: OCCThree-tiered Tutoring Component

Summer Bridge Programs: MCC

MCC hosts a five-week program, initially offered in summer 2013

2013 12 students2014 14 students

All students take both courses: College Algebra and College Orientation

Successful completion is defined as ≥ 95% attendance and a grade of B- or better

Field trips include local laboratories and STEM companies in the area

Academic Boot Camps ● Struggling students self-identify/are identified by faculty/staff● Based on student needs, STEM courses, tutors and days/times are selected● Students are asked to attend all sessions● If no tutors are available, students form a student-run tutoring group

The LSAMP Coordinator provides support for the student-run tutoring groups

● The LSAMP Coordinator meets with students and faculty members to ensure students take full advantage of all faculty have to offer (recitation section, office hours, and office hours by appointment)

Students show faculty respect for time/subject matter by attempting problems before meetings

The importance of doing well/opportunity for a letter of recommendation is stressed

Undergraduate Research

Professional development workshops • CV writing, Personal Statement, How to Manage your

Relationship with your faculty mentor, Interview Techniques, Dress for Success, The Graduate School Process.

Research symposium• National McNair Conference• NSBE National and Regional Conferences • 2015 ULSAMP Research Symposium in Syracuse • Students are encouraged to present at Discipline specific

conferences throughout the year

Conference Participation

Signature Conferences: • NSF Emerging Researchers National Conference

• Louis Stokes Midwest Center for Excellence Conference

• National Society of Black Engineers Conference In March 2014, ULSAMP sponsored transportation for students to attend

the NSBE national convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Over 50 ULSAMP students participated in the conference

Numerous awards won by ULSAMP students

Graduate School Preparation

GEM Getting Ready for Advanced Degrees (GRAD) LabIn October 2013, ULSAMP hosted the GRAD Lab facilitated by the National GEM Consortium at Rochester Institute of Technology. Over 80 students and 10 educators attended the event.

• Graduate School Visits, Fairs and Panels • Funding Graduate School Workshops with Financial Aid• Letters of Recommendation • Personal Statements • Resumes

Next Steps

• 2015 ULSAMP Student Research Conference

• Proposal to NSF on socialization of community college students

• Revise Articulation Agreements

• Support of veteran students at community colleges

Contact Us Tamara N. Hamilton Syracuse University tnhami01@syr.edu

Drake Harrison Onondaga Community College harrisod@sunyocc.edu

Tomicka Wagstaff Rochester Institute of Technologytcgnsc@rit.edu