Experiential Learning for STEM students as the driver to accelerating HSIs beyond Hispanic Enrolling to Hispanic Serving

Experiential Learning for STEM students as the driver to accelerating HSIs beyond Hispanic Enrolling to Hispanic Serving Experiential Learning for STEM students as the driver to accelerating HSIs beyond Hispanic Enrolling to Hispanic Serving Science Foundation Center for STEM at Arizona State University (SFAz/ASU), led by Caroline VanIngen-Dunn, will work closely with partners Phoenix College (PC), Maria Reyes; and Excelencia in Education (Excelencia) Deborah Santiago. PC, a 2-year HSI, will lead the overall effort. The hypothesis of this project states that participating HSIs will build sustainable institutional capacity by using a data-driven framework that is evidence-based for serving students in STEM (STEM-ESS). Two-year HSIs will pilot the STEM-ESS Framework to identify, develop, and implement programs that increase underrepresented student success in STEM. The hypothesis will be tested by answering the following research questions: 1. How does the systematic use of STEM-ESS aid in maintaining cross-sector partnerships in CIS/ STEM that contribute to UR student success? 2. How do cross-sector partnerships that support work-focused experiential teaching and learning for UR students at Phoenix College (PC) contribute to future local STEM workforce development and student success? 3. To what extent does the use of STEM-ESS at PC lead to organizational cultural shifts that propagate evidence-based student serving practices in other STEM departments at PC? 4. To what extent do evidence-based practices for CIS at PC become adaptable by other 2yr-HSIs as they use STEM-ESS to improve their CIS programs and what organizational culture shifts will occur? SFAz/ASU will support the goals of the project to: 1) Establish mechanisms through STEM-ESS that continually identify and foster cross-sector partnerships. 2) Engage Phoenix College students in CIS/STEM work-focused learning experiences to increase retention and better prepare them to enter the workforce. 3) Apply STEM-ESS in other PC STEM departments to increase intentionality to implement and advance evidence-based practices in STEM programs towards achieving measurable successes for Latinx STEM students 4) Increase the number of 2-yr HSIs that demonstrate intentionality to implement and advance evidence-based practices in CIS/STEM programs towards achieving measurable successes for Latinx STEM students. To support these goals, the SFAz Center for STEM will deliver unbiased, guiding activities that facilitate faculty/staff teams through cultural shifts and institutional change and lead to enhanced systemic service to students.