This document summarizes a presentation on a collaborative STEM education program with the goal of enhancing college student retention and graduation rates in STEM fields. The program provides mentoring support, intrusive advising, and early involvement in research labs to engage STEM students and make them feel part of a welcoming community. Involving community college students aims to improve retention, connect students to experienced peers, and help students see themselves as scientists through meaningful relationships. The expected impacts are more STEM graduates, better integration of STEM students, and improved career performance.

1. #60 Collaborative STEM Education
Presenter: John L. Freeouf
jfreeouf@pdx.edu
Collaborators: Peter Collier, Robert Strongin, and
Lorna Tran

2. Goal: • Enhance retention and graduation rate of
college students in STEM disciplines
Approach: • Provide mentoring support to STEM students
• Engage them in a community where they feel
comfortable and welcome
• Provide “intrusive advising”
• Introduce each student to a specific faculty
mentor in related field
• Involve students in research labs as early
as possible
• Include community college students in these
activities (“go where the students are”)

3. Why Mentoring?
• Improves retention
• Connects students to more experienced peers
• Involves students in communities of like-
minded individuals
• Helps students self-identify as practicing
scientists
• Involves them in meaningful relationships
before they abandon STEM major

4. Impact
• Increased number of graduates in STEM
disciplines
• Improved integration of STEM students into
the academic community
• Improved performance of STEM graduates in
their professional careers