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1. Developing and Sustaining Faculty- Driven, Curriculum-Centered Partnerships Between Two-Year Colleges and Four-Year Institutions

   De Leone, Charles; Price, Edward; Sabella, Mel; Van Duzor, Andrea (July 2019, Journal of college science teaching)

   Recent reports have highlighted the varied and complicated paths STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students often take to graduation, which may include attending multiple institutions and increased time to degree. These issues can be addressed, in part, by better coherence between institutions of higher education, such as two-year colleges (TYCs) and four-year colleges and universities. This article presents a cross-case comparison of two faculty-driven partnerships between TYCs and four-year institutions. Outcomes include impacts on individual faculty and increased coherence across the partnering institutions, resulting in course and program transformation, evolution of faculty identity and roles, better coherence and alignment across institutions, and faculty participation in national dialogue surrounding educational transformation. These two partnerships developed and operated independently, but common features include a concrete programmatic focus; regular, equitable discussions between faculty from different institutions; participation of faculty from institutions with similar missions and values; and initial external funding. These cases illustrate how faculty-driven, nonhierarchical, and discipline-based partnerships can facilitate faculty growth, while increasing coherence between two- and four-year institutions in an effort to better serve STEM students. 

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2. Work-focused Experiential Learning to Increase STEM Student Retention and Graduation at Two-year Hispanic-serving Institutions

   Pickering, C. K.; VanIngen-Dunn, C.; Reyes, M. A. (July 2021, ASEE Annual Conference)

   With support from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Undergraduate Education, this five-year project led by a two-year HSI seeks to provide underrepresented students with mentored work experiences in computer information systems. Students will have access to on-campus work experiences and internships in businesses and industries. It is anticipated that some examples of potential student projects include mobile application development, cybersecurity, and computer support. It is expected that these experiences will increase undergraduate student interest, persistence, and success in computer information systems, as well as in STEM more broadly. To ensure that they are well-prepared for and gain the most from their work experiences, students will receive training on employability skills such as communication, teamwork, and project management. In addition, during their work experiences, students will be mentored by faculty, industry professionals, and peers. To strengthen the capacity of faculty to serve all students, including Hispanic students, the project will provide faculty with professional development focused on equity mindset. This framework to provide mentored work experiences will be developed and piloted at Phoenix College, in the computer information technology department and eventually expanded to other STEM fields at the institution. Following this, the project also intends to expand this framework four other two-year HSIs in the region. Through this work, the project aims to develop a replicable model for how two-year institutions can develop work experiences that foster increased student graduation and entry into STEM career pathways. This project, which is currently in its first year, seeks to examine how a curriculum that integrates cross-sector partnerships to provide work experiences can enhance STEM learning and retention. Using mixed methods and grounded theory, the project will expand knowledge about: (1) the impact of cross-sector partnerships that support work-focused experiential teaching and learning; (2) systematic ways to maintain and better use cross-sector partnerships; and (3) the degree to which a model of work-focused learning experiences can be adopted at other two-year HSIs and by other STEM fields. Baseline data about Hispanic serving identity at the pilot institution has been collected and assessed at the institutional, departmental, and for different educator roles including faculty, support staff, and administrative leaders to produce inputs towards developing a detailed plan of action. Early results from baseline data, visualizations, and planning responses will be reported in the submission. Expected long term results of the project include: development of sustainable mechanisms to foster cross-sector partnerships; increased student retention and workforce readiness; and measurable successes for STEM students, particularly Hispanic students, at two-year HSIs. 

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3. Initiating PER collaborations with two-year colleges

   https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2024.plenary.Savrda  

   Savrda, Sherry L; Escuadro, Anthony; Daane, Abigail R; Diff, Karim; Lui, Kristine P_H (September 2024, American Association of Physics Teachers)

   Ryan, Qing X; Pawl, Andrew; Zwolak, Justyna P (Ed.)

   The past several years has seen increased interest in expanding physics education research (PER) studies to the two-year college (TYC) physics community. This interest is driven by the knowledge that while a significant portion of the students taking introductory physics courses do so at TYCs, those students are highly underrepresented in PER. The considerable teaching loads and lack of research support for TYC faculty make it difficult for TYC faculty to independently enact PER. Faculty outside of TYCs can build successful, productive, and equitable research partnerships with TYC faculty to alleviate these constraints. In this paper, we review TYC demographics that distinguish those students from populations traditionally studied in PER. We describe the challenges faced by TYC faculty in performing research as well as examples of successful research and scholarship of teaching and learning. Finally, we outline some successful TYC/PER partnerships and share initial recommendations that can inform TYC and four-year college faculty desiring to build effective and equitable PER partnerships. 

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4. Strategies for Developing, Expanding, and Strengthening Community College Engineering Transfer Programs

   Enriquez, A.; Langhoff, N.; Dunmire, E.; Rebold, T; Pong, W. (June 2018, American Society for Engineering Education)

   Broadening participation in engineering among underrepresented minority students remains a big challenge for institutions of higher education. Since a large majority of underrepresented students attend community colleges, engineering transfer programs at these community colleges can play an important role in addressing this challenge. However, for most community college engineering programs, developing strategies and programs to increase the number and diversity of students successfully pursuing careers in engineering is especially challenging due to limited expertise, shrinking resources, and continuing budget crises. This paper is a description of how a small engineering transfer program at a Hispanic-Serving community college in California developed effective partnerships with high schools, other institutions of higher education, and industry partners in order to create opportunities for underrepresented community college students to excel in engineering. Developed through these partnerships are programs for high school students, current community college students, and community college engineering faculty. Programs for high school students include a) the Summer Engineering Institute – a two-week residential summer camp for sophomore and junior high school students, and b) the STEM Institute – a three-week program for high school freshmen to explore STEM fields. Academic and support programs for college students include: a) Math Jam – a one-week intensive math placement test review and preparation program; b) a scholarship and mentoring program academically talented and financially needy STEM students; c) a two-week introduction to research program held during the winter break to prepare students for research internships; d) a ten-week summer research internship program; e) Physics Jam – an intensive program to prepare students for success in Physics; f) Embedded Peer Instruction Cohort – a modified Supplemental Instruction program for STEM courses; g) STEM Speaker Series – a weekly presentation by professionals talking about their career and educational paths. Programs for community college STEM faculty and transfer programs include: a) Summer Engineering Teaching Institute – a two-day teaching workshop for community college STEM faculty; b) Joint Engineering Program – a consortium of 28 community college engineering programs all over California to align curriculum, improve teaching effectiveness, improve the engineering transfer process, and strengthen community college engineering transfer programs; c) Creating Alternative Learning Strategies for Transfer Engineering Programs – a collaborative program that aims to increase access to engineering courses for community college students through online instruction and alternative classroom models; and d) California Lower-Division Engineering Articulation Workshop – to align the engineering curriculum. In addition to describing the development and implementation of these programs, the paper will also provide details on how they have contributed to increasing the interest, facilitating the entry, improving the retention and enhancing the success of underrepresented minority students in engineering, as well as contributing to the strengthening of the community college engineering education pipeline. 

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5. Identifying Predictors of HBCU Success in Broadening Participation in STEM: A Case Study Approach

   Jaeger, E.; McKayle, C.; Engerman, K.; Boncana, M.; Joseph, C.; Askew, K. (July 2021, The journal of Negro education)

   Taylor, O.; Campone, F.; Retland, N. (Ed.)

   Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are noted for their success in broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). A multiple case study approach was used to identify institutional and leadership characteristics that may drive the success of small HBCUs in broadening participation in STEM. Data on 15 HBCUs were obtained from websites, including institutional websites, and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Factors common to many institutions included external STEM education funding, STEM-/research-focused missions, commitment of leaders to STEM education, partnerships to support STEM education, STEM faculty professional development, and STEM student support strategies. These characteristics also predicted the percentage of STEM graduates. Implications for future research include illuminating the pathways by which institutional and leadership factors influence student outcomes. 

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