The STEM Accelerator Program

Abstract

In this work, we will describe the STEM Accelerator program in the College of Science that is tasked with four major goals of increasing the number of STEM majors, improving retention rates of STEM students, reducing their time to graduation, and helping them join the STEM workforce or continue their education upon completion of their Bachelor's degree in STEM disciplines. Created as an interdisciplinary unit, this division consists of faculty members from multiple departments who have special responsibilities besides teaching that include coordinating and promoting STEM activities that help achieve the four primary goals. Specifically, the STEM Accelerator program now runs initiatives at all levels, including STEM camps for elementary and middle school students, mentored research for high school students and undergraduate students, STEM boot camp for incoming freshmen, the Undergraduate Learning Assistants (LA) Program, discipline-based education research for faculty, and STEM teacher professional development programs for teacher educators. The program was recently awarded the 2015 Program That Works Award that is given to exemplary programs in the state for making a positive impact on student or teacher learning.