Cultivating Connections for Success

A program grounded in values dedicated to diversity, developing a sense of

belonging, and building opportunities for underrepresented students in STEM

Seattle University
May 2017
 The Team
“Why are we the ones to solve the problem we identified?”

Adriana Jackson Andrea Vargas De’Andre Jones Quynh Tran

B.S. Mathematics
B.A. Teaching, Seattle University
M.Ed. Candidate, Student
Development Administration
B.S. Environmental Studies B.S. Family & Consumer
B.A. Art, UC Santa Barbara Sciences Ed, University of
Wisconsin - Stout
M.Ed. Candidate, Student
Development Administration M.Ed. Candidate, Student
Development Administration
B.S. Pre-med, Bio/Chem
B.A. English, Duke
M.Ed. Candidate, Student
Development Administration
The Problem
24% percent of African-American, Latina/o, and Native American students obtained a
STEM undergraduate degree within six years compared to 40% of White students, with
10% vs. 76% at the doctorate degree level.

Women earned less than 20% of the U.S. engineering and computer science
degrees.

At Seattle University:
Student Respondents of color were significantly less comfortable with
the climate in their classes than white students.
Review of the Literature: Emerging Themes
Diversifying the STEM pipeline
● Women make up majority of the
baccalaureates, but are severely
underrepresented in the STEM fields
● Students of color are not retained
within STEM disciplines at the same
rates as their white counterparts
● The achievement gap becomes
compounded when assessing impact of
intersecting identities
A Sense of Belonging
● Women and students of color face
negative stereotypes within a competitive
environment where they are
underrepresented
● Stereotype threat intensifies when
underrepresented students face additional
stresses in the sciences (Steele, 2010)
● Imposter Syndrome referenced in studies
which leads to students withdrawing from
STEM
Importance of Undergraduate
Research Opportunities
● Students, both students of color
and women, need to to feel their
coursework has practical
application
● Research builds confidence and
established their science identity
● Connects students to important
social networks
Cultivating Connections for Success: A Program Overview

Practice One: Practice Two: Practice Three:

STEM Summer Bridge Program Academic Support Services Undergraduate Research
and Mentorship
Cultivating Connections for Success: The Student Experience
4 years geared towards the success of students

August 2017 August 2019

Summer Bridge Program Begins Undergraduate Research
Project Begins

2017 2018 2019 2020

August 2018 August 2020

Focus on Academic Support Job Placement,
Services and Mentorship Assessment, and Revision
Promising Practices
PRACTICE ONE STEM Summer Bridge
Findings
● Fills in potential academic
gaps from inadequate high
school preparation.
● Immediately establishes a
sense of belonging, which is
linked with persistence.
Schlossberg's
Implementation
Transition Theory
Cohort model creates a sense of ● Six-week summer program
belonging through the integration of ● Cohort model
students ● Introductory courses
● Trips to local STEM organizations
Promising Practices
PRACTICE TWO Academic Support Services & Mentorship

Findings Yosso’s Community Cultural Implementation

● Peer Mentoring creates a
community which leads to a sense
of belonging within the university
Through peer and faculty
● the same salient identity
mentoring students create safe
spaces which assists in the
establishment of a science identity
Wealth
● Addressing the need to have
positive role models and
support with those who share
● Forms of capital: Aspirational,
social, navigational
Students are paired with volunteers
●
within the community of STEM
professionals
● Quarterly meetings with mentors
● Previous CCS Participants offer
weekly tutoring sessions
● Group study sessions offered within
the Office of Multicultural Affairs
Promising Practices
PRACTICE THREE Undergraduate Research Project
Findings
● Students need to feel that their
coursework has practical application
to things they care about; this is true
for both women & students of color
● Helps build confidence and establish
a science identity
● Connects students to important
social networks
Carlone & Johnson
Science Identity Development
Underrepresented students with a strong
science identity have developed:
● Competence: knowledge and
understanding
● Performance: skills
● Recognition: meaningful
acknowledgement
Implementation
● CCS students enroll in a research
course and are placed into small
teams
● Students use their research to
complete a Senior Project
● Senior Projects connect students with
local companies and nonprofits as well
as with faculty research projects
Budgeting and Expenses
● Based on a model adapted from a Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
similar summer program*
Summer $38,400 $39,552 $40,738 $41,960
● FY 2017, Seattle University budget Bridge
$264 Million for Tuition, of this
$82,681 student aid Graduate $15,605 $16,073 $16,555 $17,051
Assistants
● Our budget request would come
Staff Mentors $14,400 $14,832 $15,276 $15,734
from a combination of University
resources
Marketing $2,000 $2,060 $2,121 $2,185
● Staffing will be supported by
shared responsibilities of one Room & $17,577 $18,104 $18,647 $19,206
professional in Academic Affairs Board**
and one professional in Student
Affairs. Annual Total* $87,982 $90,621 $93,339 $96,139

● Graduate Assistants and Student *each column accounts for a 3% increase due to inflation
Workers will serve as supports **based on efficiency triple room and board rate
Adapted from: https://www.uwsuper.edu/provost/innovation/upload/8-Math-Summer-Bridge-Program.pdf
Review: Cultivating Connections for Success
References
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