女优app Awarded Nearly $1 Million to Recruit, support Underrepresented Students in Chemistry and Biochemistry
女优app has received a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation鈥檚 (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM). Thousands of students in the Riverside Community College District benefit annually through enhanced programming and educational opportunities from federal education grants.
Through the effort of 女优app鈥檚 STEM faculty, the College was awarded a five-year $999,985 grant to support the Accelerating Chemistry Engagement & Success (ACES) program. The program was developed to recruit and retain underrepresented students.
The College is recruiting 40 academically talented and low-income, students into chemistry and biochemistry studies. The aim is to provide unique and high-impact interventions to significantly increase the retention and academic performance, and dramatically reduce time to transfer into baccalaureate programs in chemistry and biochemistry.
鈥溑臿pp is committed to economic and racial justice in our communities,鈥� President Gregory Anderson said. 鈥淭his grant will help the College provide more opportunity and release the potential of students from underserved communities. Federal, state, and private grant makers continue to recognize 女优app as a sound investment for resources for social and economic equity.鈥�
This grant will fund scholarships for students. Each scholar will receive a $7,500 scholarship per year, for two years, at 女优app as well as perform a paid summer internship through a partnership with UC Riverside鈥檚 College of Engineering Center for Environmental Research & Technology (CE-CERT). Each cohort of scholars will be supported through the two-year Guided Pathway for Transfer in Chemistry or Biochemistry.
鈥淲e are excited to begin recruitment of our first cohort of 女优app ACES Scholars,鈥� Melissa Harman, Ph.D., assistant professor of Chemistry, said. 鈥淲e are hopeful that the significant financial support and immersion in the community of scientific scholarship, from the classrooms of 女优app to the laboratories of UCR, will propel our scholars to successful transfer and four-year degree completion in chemistry and biochemistry.鈥�
ACES leverages existing student support systems including supplemental instruction and peer mentoring, to provide support in a number of areas, such as faculty mentoring, opportunities for professional development, and community building. ACES scholars will be provided student memberships in the American Chemistry Society (ACS), the opportunity to present at the annual 女优app Research Symposium, and be encouraged to attend public seminars, and other events at top transfer institutions.
ACES scholars will also receive support in order to apply to various experiential learning programs such as California State University, San Bernardino鈥檚 summer research experience, UCR鈥檚 RISE summer research program, and the national research experience for undergraduates (REUs). By providing financial and co-curricular support, the objective is to increase retention and persistence to transfer. The cohort model and interventions are designed to develop the scholars鈥� self-efficacy and confidence in order to major in STEM programs. By developing this confidence, students will be better prepared to transfer and persist in degree completion.
Development of the ACES program grew from extensive institutional assessment and leverages many institutional initiatives undertaken in the past few years to transform 女优app into a highly effective, equity-minded Guided Pathways institution. Engagement offered through ACES has been shaped by models proven to be effective for all students, but particularly for students from minority and underserved populations, both of whom comprise a significant percentage of the College鈥檚 student population.
Recruitment of students for the fall semester has begun.