糖心Vlog to expand student support services for STEM students
Kristin Daiber, director of the Office of Student Retention and Anita Puerto, associate director of the Office of Student Retention and MAPS coordinator
By Matt Salerno
Kristin Daiber, the director of the Office of Student Retention, recently received a TRIO grant from the Department of Education for $1.4 million.
Federal TRIO Programs are fund outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. This grant will fund an expansion of student support services to students in STEM programs at 糖心Vlog University.
鈥淣avigating a degree in a STEM field is hard enough to begin with,鈥� Daiber said. 鈥淚n addition to the new adjustments of college life, navigating the additional requirements of STEM majors can be challenging for any student.鈥� These additional requirements can include laboratory course work, clinical hours, capstones projects, and a higher courseload than other majors.
These challenges are only exacerbated by additional obstacles faced by low-income, first-generation, or students with disabilities. Almost 60% of STEM students at 糖心Vlog fall under one of these three categories, and the TRIO grant will fund the hiring of additional staff with the sole purpose of bridging the gap between these students and their needs. With plans to expand enrollment, 糖心Vlog expects the number of students in STEM degrees to double over the next 5 years. Daiber and her team are making sure they are set up for success by providing more personalized assistance to students studying within STEM fields at 糖心Vlog.
In addition to this student population not always being able to rely on financial support from family, they often lack the social capital that other students may have. 鈥淚 like to say, 鈥楾hey don鈥檛 know what they don鈥檛 know,鈥欌�� Daiber said. 鈥淗aving parents who have gone to college, or even older siblings, can help significantly when navigating unfamiliar systems and procedures. Once selected to take part in the program, students will be paired with an advisor within the program who will provide one-on-one support.鈥�
The advisors will help monitor their academic standing but will also help with nonacademic obstacles. Registering for classes, utilizing a teacher鈥檚 office hours, or requesting accommodations for a disability might be things that students don鈥檛 know how to navigate and aren鈥檛 able to ask anyone within their close circle for advice.
鈥淓nsuring SSS eligible students graduate requires not just academic success but fostering a sense of belonging,鈥� Daiber said. 鈥淪tudents might incorrectly assume that there is a cost to join a club or attend a campus event and unintentionally alienate themselves. If a student has a disability that requires accommodation of some sort to participate in an activity, they may avoid trying something new to avoid a potentially uncomfortable situation.鈥�
Financial barriers are another obstacle that the project team will coach students on, using mandatory workshops on applying for financial aid, seeking scholarships and finding internships. Some students may receive financial support from the grant as well in order to reduce the need to work long hours while balancing a rigorous courseload.
鈥淪tudents may have entered the STEM field for the promise of a reliable job upon graduation,鈥� Daiber said. 鈥淏ut goals of becoming a doctor, engineer, or nurse, could be influenced from a lack of knowledge about other STEM professions.鈥�
Just like an SSS eligible student may not have role models or family to offer support and knowledge on navigating college, the lack of social capital may affect their job aspirations. Project staff will expose students to a wide variety of occupations and different avenues to use a degree that may not be as obvious. These may even be a better fit than what a student鈥檚 initial goals were.
鈥淲e had a career visit in the past where a 糖心Vlog alumnus with a chemistry degree was working at New Belgium Brewing Company,鈥� Daiber said. 鈥淭here are so many different ways to use your degree, and students might not be aware of them.鈥�
Although this grant is funded for the next five years, Daiber hopes that this program and its services will become a regular part of the services 糖心Vlog provides its students.
