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IntroductionSTEM graduates are important to U.S. research development and innovation, adding diverse perspectives and talents to communities and the academy, and enhancing the financial stability of universities. Graduate STEM students’ work on funded research occasionally engages them in outreach opportunities with K-12 schools and students. Yet, few graduate students participate in professional development that prepares them for these roles. MethodsThis exploratory, descriptive case study chronicles the experiences of eight graduate STEM students (six international and two domestic) who visited high school classrooms, via Zoom, as part of a federally funded sustainability project. This study investigated the factors graduate STEM students considered most important when planning and implementing their Zoom outreach visits, what they perceived as the supports, benefits, and challenges, and in what ways their Zoom visits and reflections correspond to the Motivational Theory of Role Modeling. ResultsThe findings demonstrate graduate students’ focus on engaging students, the relevance of science to society, and job opportunities in STEM fields. Graduate students perceived challenges associated with making the complex academic language and research understandable to high school students and felt supported by university team members and high school teachers. DiscussionImplications for role models and professional development for graduate STEM students are discussed, along with novel contributions to the theoretical framework.
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Using champion-oriented mindset to overcome the challenges of graduate school: impact of workshop for graduate school skills on underrepresented minority retention
Abstract Despite efforts to increase diversity, a glaring underrepresentation of minorities (URM) persists in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Graduate school can be a stressful step in the STEM pipeline, especially for students previously unaware of the structure and challenges of postgraduate education. To promote successful minority participation in STEM and prepare prospective students for the impending challenges of applying for and attending graduate school, we developed a workshop based on the mentoring and fostering of a champion-oriented mindset entitled, “The Trials and Tribulations of Graduate School: How Do You Make an Impact?.” Students from the HBCU Winston-Salem State University attended the workshop, and a pre/post—a 10-point Likert scale-based survey was administered. The questions used in this seminar were newly designed by the authors as program evaluations. The results suggest that the workshop was well-received by the students and provided information that they considered helpful to help navigate the graduate school process.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2011577
- PAR ID:
- 10369711
- Author(s) / Creator(s):
- ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more »
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Pathogens and Disease
- Volume:
- 80
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2049-632X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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