This session provided a summary of information and outcomes to date for The Community of Math and Computer Inspired Scholars (MCIS). MCIS is an NSF-funded scholarship program with student support components now in its fourth year at the Community College of Baltimore County. Full-time students in these associate degree programs were eligible for MCIS scholarships: Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Information Systems Security, Engineering Technology, Information Technology, and Network Technology. Awardees were also required to have unmet financial need as determined by FAFSA, a minimum 2.8 or higher GPA, and U.S. citizenship or Permanent Resident Alien or Refugee Alien status. Awardees re-applied each semester for continued scholarship funding, and could continue to be awarded scholarships for two semesters after they transferred to a four-year institution to pursue a bachelor’s degree program in these eligible fields.
This session followed the 91 MCIS scholarship awardees over the first 3.5 years of this program as they progressed toward their goals of attaining STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. The role of faculty involvement in attracting and retaining under-represented groups (females, blacks, and Hispanic/Latinos) in STEM fields was examined. MCIS awardee outcomes by participants’ gender, race/ethnicity, and initial mathematics placement level were presented. Student-support structures for awardees include a spatial skills component, student internships, and monthly workshop for awardees and their faculty mentors with guest speakers and panelists. An awardee benefits from program-related interaction with faculty outside the classroom environment were also discussed.
1. AFACCT ‘18 Conference
Hosted by Anne Arundel Community College
Session 1.10
January 11, 2018 9:00 - 10:00 am
Reaping the Reward of Faculty Involvement: Progress
Toward STEM Degrees
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Sylvia Sorkin, ssorkin@ccbcmd.edu
Barbara Yancy, byancy@ccbcmd.edu
Community College of Baltimore County
2. AFACCT 2018
Reaping the Reward of Faculty Involvement:
Progress Toward STEM Degrees
2
Sylvia Sorkin, Mathematics Department
Barbara Yancy, IT/Computer Science Department
Community College of Baltimore County
3. Community College of Baltimore County
Public, two-year college system with 3 campuses and
3 extension centers
Fall 2015 credit enrollment: 22,179 students
29% were full-time
60% Female
39% Black
45% Pell recipients in 2013-14 academic year
2,200 Associate degrees awarded in Fiscal Year 2015
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4. STEM Enrollment at CCBC
From 2010 to 2015, CCBC’s total fall enrollment
declined 16%.
However, enrollment in STEM associate’s degree
programs increased 43% over that period. The
number of STEM associate’s degrees awarded
increased 152%.
The largest STEM enrollment increases were in the
Network Technology, Computer science, and
Information Systems Security programs.
In 2015, 13% of CCBC’s enrollment was in STEM
programs.
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5. NSF-funded Scholarship Programs
Funded by U.S National Science Foundation (NSF) using
H1-B visa fees.
Project goal to increase the enrollment, graduation, and
transfer of students in Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM) programs at CCBC.
Scholarship awardees must be:
U.S. Citizens
Permanent Resident Aliens
Refugee Aliens
http://www.ccbcmd.edu/Programs-and-Courses/Schools-and-
Academic-Departments/School-of-Mathematics-and-
Science/Mathematics/MCIS.aspx
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6. CCBC MCIS Criteria
Maintain 2.8 or higher GPA
Take MATH each semester until completed all math for
major program
Register for, and complete, 12 credits in one of these
career or transfer programs each semester of award:
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Computer Science
Engineering
Mathematics
Physics
Engineering Technology
Information Technology
Network Technology
Information Systems Security
7. MCIS Awards at CCBC
From Fall 2014 through Fall 2017, a total of 91
students received semester scholarships
Awardees must re-apply each semester
Average award has been for 2.5 semesters
Scholarship amount depends on unmet financial need
Awardee must be full-time in semester of award
Selection committee meets in July and January to
select awardees for Fall and Spring
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8. S-STEM Scholarship Project
Community of Math and Computer Inspired Scholars
(MCIS) is an NSF-funded scholarship project at CCBC.
This S-STEM (Scholarships in Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics) program has awarded
scholarships to 91 students (28 Female / 63 Male)
from Fall 2014 – Fall 2017.
Spring 2018 is the last semester of awards.
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9. Interventions Used
One-day workshop in August focusing on STEM
programs
Guest speakers from STEM fields
Optional internships for awardees
Mentoring of all awardees by STEM faculty
Faculty mentors meet at least monthly with their
student mentees
Monthly luncheon workshops for awardees and
faculty mentors
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10. Spatial Skills Testing/Practice
All new awardees must take the Perdue Spatial
Visualization Test (PSVT) of 12 questions each in 3
areas: Developments, Views, and Rotations
Those who do not “pass” this test with 70% or
higher, are required to practice their spatial skills
Online modules have been created on BlackBoard for
them to practice
They can then “re-test”
Passing the test is not required for scholarship
renewal.
http://www.asee.org/documents/zones/zone1/2014/Professional/PDFs/77.pdf 10
11. Essex Campus
• Spring 2016 – 4
• Fall 2016 – 4
• Spring 2017 – 4
• Fall 2017 – 8
MCIS TUTORS STATS
12. STUDENT AMBASSADORS
• Gain valuable leadership skills
• Become more involved with CCBC
• Build your resume
• Expand network
SERVICE REQUIREMENT
13. PEER MENTORING
• Students are required to perform a service.
• Homework Lab presents a good option.
• Students select 2 hours per week that they sit in the
Homework Lab to assist students.
SERVICE REQUIREMENT
15. 37% 19% 38% 5% 4%
91 MCIS Scholars - Race & Ethnicity
0
10
20
30
Black Asian White Other Hispanic
Female
Male
91 MCIS Awardees Fall 14 – Fall 17
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16. Diversity of 91 MCIS Awardees
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Racial/Ethnic Group
% of CCBC
Fall 2012
Credit
Enrollment
MCIS
Fall 14 – Fall 17
Number of
Awardees
% of
Awardees
White 47% 35 38%
Black 38% 34 37%
Asian 5% 17 19%
Hispanic/Latino 4% 4 4%
Other/Unknown 6% 5 5%
TOTAL: 100% 91
NOTE: NSF counts Hispanic/Latino separately from the racial groups.
17. 17
MCIS Awardee Major Programs
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
COSC ENGR MATH PHYS ISS ET IT NT
NumberofAwardees
All 91 MCIS STEM Awardees by Major and Gender
through Fall 2017
Male
Female
18. Awardee Internships
Constellation Energy Summer Internships
NSF Summer Internship at UMBC REU Site:
Interdisciplinary Program in High Performance
Computing
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~gobbert/papers/REU2017Team6.pdf
Others
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19. How to Follow-up Awardees?
Mentor email contact
Facebook, LinkedIn
National Student Clearinghouse
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20. MCIS Awardee Outcomes
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Awardee Outcome
Fall 2014 – Fall 2017
Number of
Awardees
% of
Awardees
Transferred to 4-yr 53 (15F/38M) 58%
Graduated (Associate’s without transfer) 11 (4F/7M) 12%
Still Enrolled (in community college) 27 (9F/18M) 30%
Dropped Out 0 0%
TOTALS: 91 (28F/63M) 100%
Associate’s Degrees: 51 (17F/34M) 56%
Bachelor’s Degrees: 11 (4F/7M) 12%
Earned at least one of these degrees:
(Associate’s or Bachelor’s)
54 (17F/37M) 59%
21. Efforts to Increase Transfer Rate
Awardees encouraged to complete bachelor’s
degrees in STEM fields
After transfer with 45 credits or associate’s degree,
awardees can receive up to 2 additional semesters
of scholarship funding
20% of scholarship funds are awarded to those who
have transferred
CCBC faculty continue to mentor awardees after
transfer
Through Fall 2017, 76 semester transfer awards
have been made.
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22. Outcomes for 91 Awardees by Gender
Females Males Combined
Outcome
Number of
Awardees
% of
Female
Awardees
Number of
Awardees
% of Male
Awardees
Number of
Awardees
% of All
Awardees
Associate’s
Degrees
17 61% 34 54% 51 56%
Transferred 15 54% 38 60% 53 58%
Bachelor’s
Degrees
4 14% 7 11% 11 12%
Total
Awardees
28 63 91
22
Associate’s
or Bachelor’s
17 60% 37 59% 54 59%
23. Early Comparisons
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Female awardees have earned a higher
percentage of Associate’s degrees
Male awardees have a higher percentage of
Transfers to 4-year institutions
It is still too early to compare percentages
for earning Bachelor’s degrees
24. Outcomes for 91 Awardees by Race
White Black All Other
Outcome
Number of
White
Awardees
% of
White
Awardees
Number of
Black
Awardees
% of
Black
Awardees
Number of
Other
Awardees
% of
Other
Awardees
Associate’s
Degrees
24 69% 17 50% 10 45%
Transferred 21 60% 21 62% 11 50%
Bachelor’s
Degrees
3 9% 5 15% 3 14%
Associate’s or
Bachelor’s
24 69% 19 56% 11 50%
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Total
Awardees
35 38% 34 37% 22 24%
25. MCIS Outcomes by Math Placement
Initial Math
Placement
Developmental
Level
Non-
Developmental
Level
Combined
Outcome
Number of
Awardees
% of
Awardees
Number of
Awardees
% of
Awardees
Number of
Awardees
% of
Awardees
Transferred 15 47% 38 64% 53 58%
Graduated
(no transfer)
7 22% 4 7% 11 12%
Still Enrolled 10 31% 17 29% 27 30%
Dropped Out 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Total: 32 100% 59 100% 91 100%
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Associate’s 20 80% 31 57% 51 56%
Bachelor’s 4 13% 7 12% 11 12%
Associate’s or
Bachelor’s
21 66% 33 56% 54 59%
26. Acknowledgement
This research is supported by NSF funding
under S-STEM award DUE-1356436.
Opinions expressed are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the NSF.
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