Model Instituion for Excellence (MIE) Best Practice
Project CAUSA and Linkages with the School System. More than any other institution on the island, Ana G. Mendez University System (AGMUS) has succeeded in increasing the pool of talented pre-college students for SEM majors. Since 1985 Project CAUSA has become a nationally-recognized model pre-college SEM enrichment program. Each year the 300 top 9th-12th grade students in the public-school system are selected among over 3,000 candidates for a rigorous SEM enrichment program on campus; 24 sessions a year in a Saturday Academy, and eight weeks each summer for a full four years. All CAUSA students complete college-level calculus and participate in research. The CAUSA college-going rate is 100%, with over 80% entering SEM, many at major universities.
The MIE long-term goals for SEM at UMET was a comprehensive ten-year plan; and the design of specific activities in each of the following areas: 1) student recruitment; 2) pre-college-to-college bridge program; 3) student performance assessment and tracking; 4) undergraduate research; 5) student support; 6) student enrichment; 7) participation and collaboration with industry.
Student Environment and Support: Science Support Center. A Science Support Center was established as the locus of the student support system. Activities coordinated by the Center included: a) intensive pre-freshman program; b) intensive two-week freshman orientation, including academic counseling (e.g., orientation on coursework, initial assessments, test-taking skills training), career and personal counseling by professional counselors and faculty, with assignment of a faculty mentor to each freshman; c) orientations each semester (including annual assessments and workshops on various personal and academic issues); d) financial aid information and assistance; e) on-going counseling by professional counselors following a case-management model; f) mentoring by a faculty member throughout the undergraduate years; g) a tutoring program in which all students will have access to SEM graduates for tutoring, to individualized tutoring through use of technology (computers/multi-media), and peer tutoring and cooperative learning; and h) recreation and sports activities, including cultural and recreational field trips and an intramural team sports program for science majors.
Scholarship Program. UMET developed a scholarship program with MIE funds to create an extensive full scholarship program for over 50 students per year.
Undergraduate Research. All BS degree programs will require a one semester undergraduate research course. In addition, 40 to 50 students per year were encouraged to engage in more extensive research with some presenting results in meetings and conferences such as SACNAS. Opportunities for undergraduate research were expanded to 25 slots per year for semester and summer research at DOE National Labs and universities across the US mainland and abroad. Industry through INDUNIV provided research internships opportunities at industry labs., both in Puerto Rico and on the mainland. In Computer Science, students required a Coop experience in business, industry or research facility. Other programs used Coop and internship experiences as compliance with the undergraduate research requirement.
Pre-Freshman Bridge Program. UMET established a six week, four days per week, on-campus pre-freshman bridge program for 100 entering high school students. It included: initial assessments; academic enrichment in mathematics; hands-on lab experiences in biology, chemistry, physics (2 weeks each) and computer science; academic, career and personal counseling; and intensive orientation on college life, the UMET and its services and resources in the surrounding area. They also participated in workshops on test-taking, writing skills, study habits, use of the library and others. The participants were among students who have showed high potential but may not be the highest achievers of who may benefit most, both academically and emotionally, from this experience.
Mentoring and Academic Enrichment. Each entering freshman was assigned a faculty mentor will mentor the student throughout the undergraduate experience to offer assistance in academic advising and well referrals to university services. The faculty were expected to be advocates for their students. In addition to faculty mentors, mentors will be sought in industry and at other institutions to complement the faculty mentor’s work. All SEM undergraduates were expected to participate in seminars and lectures. UMET significantly expanded its lecture and seminar series through its national laboratory and Fulbright contacts. At least three seminars/lectures were added to the current lecture series in each discipline each semester. These will be supplemented by other lectures/seminars with local researchers from universities and industry. Visiting Faculty also offered lectures and seminars.
Collaboration with Graduate Institutions. UMET will increase the number of students admitted to graduate school at Jackson State University and other institutions in the Science and Technology Alliance, as well as at the UPR graduate campuses. UMET already has arrangements with other institutions for graduate admissions in SEM and will expand these to other institutions. Each year UMET will establish at least two formal agreements with HACU, HBCU and majority graduate institutions for admission of UMET BS graduates. By the end of the fifth year, all BS graduates interested in graduate studies at institutions with which UMET has formal agreements will be guaranteed admission (and, to the extent possible, financial aid). Though students will explore many other graduate options, there will be a secure pathway into graduate school.
Undergraduate-to-Graduate Bridge Program. UMET will establish a bridge program for students admitted into graduate school. The five-week intensive program, which will have 100 students at the end of five years, will include extensive orientation on graduate school, exposure to graduate school curricula in appropriate fields, exchanges with students in graduate school, lectures by graduate faculty and intensive writing skills development.
Other Student Support. In addition to the SSC support services, the SSC was be the center where they can find off-campus experiences, such as summer and semester internships at national labs and in industry, information on off-campus conferences, lectures and other activities. The SSC also coordinated financial aid, housing, and others. UMET regular student services staff visited the center as needed to provide additional support including financial hardship.
Collaboration with Industry. Through INDUNIV and the Chancellor’s Industry Advisory Board, UMET were involved in each phase of implementation. First, feedback and recommendations from industry was obtained through these groups. Second, they identified opportunities in their own firms and in others for student research internships, the Coop experiences and for industry staff to lecture, mentor students and become Visiting Faculty. Third, these groups were a source of funding for specific initiatives and equipment.
Outcomes of MIE Best Practice.
Pre-College. Over 2,100 Pre-College students were impacted with research activities (1,510 research projects implemented) in STEM areas.
Undergraduate Research Experiences
The MIE program placed over 600 undergraduates in US mainland and abroad research institutions such as: MIT, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Princeton, UTEP, University of South Florida, Howard University, University of Vermont, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, Purdue University, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State University, among others. Also, institutions in Spain (CSIC), South Africa, Singapore, Japan, China, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, France, Germany, The Netherland, Poland, and Argentina.
Attending Local, National and International Conferences
MIE scholars presented their research projects in local conferences, Annual AGMUS Research Symposium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, national conferences, Annual SACNAS Conferences, American Chemical Society (ACS), National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR), American Mathematical Society (AMS) and Conferences in Turkey, Netherlands, Spain, Argentina.
Graduate School Transfer
The MIE program transferred a significant number of BS graduates at UMET into graduate school in Puerto Rico, US mainland and abroad institutions. Sixty one (61) graduated with doctoral degrees (42 with PhD) and 71 with MS degrees.
Student Peer Reviewed Publications
A significant number of MIE scholars were able to produce competitive papers, product of their research work as undergraduate and graduate (Fabio Sanchez, PhD, Teranni Vazquez, PhD, Angela Ortiz, PhD, Ricardo Cordero, PhD, Indhira de la Rosa, PhD, Maria Velez, PhD, Jose Tirado, Phd, among others)
The Principal Investigator (Dr. Juan F. Arratia) was honored with the US Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring in 2007 at the White House, Washington DC. by the President of the United States.
Technologies
The technologies used varied according to the level of intervention. At the Saturday Research Academy and the Undergraduate Reseach Experinces at US and abroad institutions, Internet was used in follow-up by the Principal Investigator and research mentors. Also, in their research processes, specially in search methodology and references. Internet was key to manage and mentor minority students, specially first generation college students.
Explain project results
This Best practice help Universidad Metropolitna to increse the graduation rate in their STEM BS program. The over all graduation rate was very low in 1995 (less than 20%), at the start of the program. The MIE program got a graduation rate of over 80% of participants. Universidad Metropolitana has a student population of 98% Hispanic strudent.
Why it should be considered best practice?
The MIE best practice is consider a NSF Best Practice. It was funded with that intention and to help the nation to increse the participation of Hispanic Minorities in STEM fields. This model was replicated in Managua, Nicaragua, Universidad Catolica Redemptoris Mater, Universidad del Turabo and Universidad del Este.
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