Career, Community, and Connections for STEM Student Success

1. Career, Community, and Connections for STEM Student Success Network for Academic Renewal Conference March 25, 2011

2. California State University overview • Nation’s largest university system • 23 campuses and 7 off-campus centers • Over 430,000 students; 44,000 faculty and staff • 14 CSU campuses have attained Hispanic-Serving Institution status • 17 CSU campuses are among Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’s annual “Top 100” • 4 CSU campus presidents are Hispanic

3. California State University, San Bernardino Hispanic Serving Institution since 1999 • 16,400 students, 43% Hispanic • Over 70% are first generation students • Nearly 70% of students receive financial aid • 57% of students are funded entirely through grants CSUSB website is www.csusb.edu

4. CoyoteCareers Overview • Free tutoring in hard-to-pass STEM classes • Academic Career Education (ACE) modules • Paid service learning internships • Alumni networking

5. Coyote Careers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeBEUPBHKz0

7. COMMUNITY Service Learning I CUP Office (Academic Affairs • Goal: To Connect students and faculty with Community partners to develop internships that educate students on Career choices • Challenge: Limited resources (money, staff, time)

8. CAREERS Career Development Center • Goal: To Connect with Community employers to enhance Career opportunities for students • Challenge: Limited resources (money, staff, time)

9. CONNECTIONS Alumni Affairs Office • Goal: To increase affinity with alumni through Career networking and Community Connections • Challenge: Limited resources (money, staff, time)

10. CoyoteCareers CAREERS COMMUNITY Strength and Sustainability through Partnerships CONNECTIONS

11. CoyoteCareers Overview • Free tutoring in hard-to-pass STEM classes • Academic Career Education (ACE) modules • Paid service learning internships • Alumni networking

12. 1. Tutoring Goal: Expand limited institutional resources to help Hispanic, low-income students complete SMART field curricula.

13. 1. Tutoring Barrier Students drop out when they can’t pass entry-level courses required for SMART majors Action Provide additional tutoring in low-pass classes Outcome Students receive additional support for low-pass classes; improve grades & retention

14. 1. Tutoring

15. Tutoring ResultsGoal: Provide 74 hours of tutoring per week in low pass-rate courses

16. Tutoring Results – Other Analyses • Satisfaction with Sessions • Future analyses • Impact on Grades • Impact on Retention

17. 2. Career Development: ACE Modules Goal: Pilot/implement an experiential Academic Career Education (ACE) support program that is effective for Hispanic and low-income students in SMART fields and strategic foreign languages.

18. 2. Academic Career Education (ACE) Barrier Students lack the information, soft skills, and connections, to get a job in their field of choice Action Provide 10 ACE modules and online career instruction with alumni presenters Outcome Students develop soft skills & interact with alumni

19. ACE Module ParticipantsGoal: Implement 10 ACE modules with 100 students each year

20. Academic Career Education (ACE) Nancy Morales Junior, Major ‐ Environmental Studies/GIS HACU Summer Intern ‐ USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Rock Springs, Wyoming "The CoyoteCareers workshops really prepared me for my internship.  What a great program!"

21. Day in the Life Alumni Videos CompletedGoal: Create 10 career information videos • Criminal Lab Technician • Air Quality Chemist • Environmental Planner • Software Enginner

22. “Day in the Life” video  Bronwyn Weis, B.A. Biology 1999 Lab Technician, Bureau of Forensics Services, State of California.

23. 3. Alumni Affairs Goal: Enhance student retention and career readiness by expanding alumni connections.

24. 3. Alumni Affairs Barrier Underrepresented students lack connections to accomplished alumni in career fields of interest; low alumni affinity and engagement Action Update alumni database, establish the Hispanic alumni chapter, and provide networking opportunities Outcome More engaged alumni through improved database, volunteer opportunities, networking, and sharing

25. Updated Alumni RecordsGoal: Update alumni contact information by 75%

26. Alumni VolunteersGoal: Identify 500 prospective alumni volunteers & 200 actual volunteers

27. Hispanic Alumni ChapterGoal: Establish a Hispanic professional networking group and grow by 50 alumni annually

28. Alumni Affairs More than a dozen successful CSUSB alumni returned to campus on February 16th to network with students seeking their insight into gaining employment in science-related fields.

29. Alumni Affairs “Within every field position, there’s a complement of administrative support people. Whether or not your field is in education, medicine or finance, maximize your skills and learn to be flexible.” S. Alex Nájera M.P.A. 2007 Human Resources Analyst, County of Riverside

30. 4. Service Learning Internships Goal: Enhance student retention and career readiness by expanding community partnerships.

31. 4. Service Learning Internships Barrier Students need financial support and lack career-relevant work experience Action Provide paid service learning internships in SMART fields Outcome Students receive relevant work experience through paid internships

32. Service Learning InternshipsGoal: Provide 30 SL internships each year (20 in Year 1) & Train 20 SL Supervisors each year

33. “Sitting in a classroom learning theory is helpful but being in an actual research lab provides a deep understanding and appreciation of a career in chemistry.” Kristen Torrez Senior, Chemistry Intern – USDA ARS – Germ Lab

34. Retention

35. Employment

36. More Majors: Expanded Program

37. New Campus-Community Partnerships

38. What is (STEM)2?Service learning Transforming Educational Models in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math • A Learn and Serve America (LSA) grant-supported initiative in the CSU intended to promote student success in STEM disciplines through service learning. • LSA, a program of the federal agency the Corporation for National and Community Service, supports service learning in schools, higher education institutions and community-based organizations across the country. • www.learnandserve.gov

39. (STEM)2 • INNOVATION • ACADEMIC PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT • PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT • STUDENT SUCCESS (STEM)2 is using 4 strategies to encourage service learning and student success in STEM disciplines.

40. (STEM)2 • STUDENT SUCCESS • Replication of the Coyote Careers Model across multiple CSU campuses • Development of a “How-To” Manual (AY 10-11) • Symposium for CSU campuses (AY 11-12) • Subgrants for CSU campuses to replicate (AY11-12 and 12-13) • Fine-tuning Manual and National Dissemination (AY12-13)

41. Manual on “Careers, Community and Connections” in STEM • If you would like to get notice about the availability of the manual, please sign up.

42. Please click on our websites for additional information: CoyoteCareers.csusb.edu www.calstate.edu/cce/STEM