Building a STEM Pipeline in Chicago

This project is a partnership between DePaul and two of the City Colleges of Chicago, Harold Washington College and Harry S Truman College, to build a pipeline for STEM students and to increase the number of DePaul STEM graduates by 30%, to increase the number of STEM minority graduates by 100%, and to increase the number of students completing associate degrees in STEM fields at the partner institutions by 10%. The project is building a supportive environment for the education of STEM majors, exposing STEM students to research opportunities early in their studies, providing opportunities for research positions and internships at Chicago area science museums, corporations, and institutes, and coordinating the curriculum at the three academic institutions to aid student matriculation. To achieve these goals, the program is implementing the following four components: (1) an ""Introduction to Research"" summer program for selected first and second year DePaul and community college students; (2) formal partnerships with local science museums and other organizations to place students in external research assistantships and educational internships; (3) student support programs, including interventions that target mathematics and science courses and build community in STEM fields; and (4) formal articulation agreements and transition programs between DePaul and local community colleges. These core activities are being coordinated with larger systemic initiatives and changes at the three institutions that will improve the educational experiences of all STEM students. The project is actively recruiting minority students, women, and others who might be unlikely to seek research experiences on their own and facilitating their placement in internal and external research and internship programs. Among the opportunities are community-based projects that have a service or cultural component, projects that have been shown to aid in recruiting minority students and women. Project evaluation includes tracking progress toward reaching final and intermediate benchmarks, tracking of all students who participate in the summer research program throughout their college careers, and surveys and focus groups to evaluate individual project components. Project results are being disseminated via brochures, publications and presentations at local, regional and national meetings.