When Idaho’s top colleges collaborate, it can mean great things for students.
The University of Idaho along with Boise State University, Idaho State University and the College of Southern Idaho recently worked together to earn a STEM Education Grant for the state of Idaho from Complete College America.
The two-year technical assistance grant was awarded to five states and will be utilized by campuses to keep Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) students on track to graduation and a successful career, according to Marilyn Whitney, chief communications and legislative affairs officer for the Idaho State Board of Education.
Whitney said the Idaho team worked with CCA on a proposal to earn the grant. The grant will support a program called Guided Pathways to Success in STEM.
Whitney said the main goal is to provide STEM students with support and extra advising.
“A big part of it is focused on how to make sure that these students who are pursuing a STEM degree stick with it,” Whitney said. “What we tend to see is students drop somewhere while they progress through the program.”
Melinda Hamilton was one of the team leaders and a UI representative in securing the grant. She said the proposal identified the program UI wanted to work on, the GPS program and the need in the Idaho workforce for STEM graduates.
Hamilton said UI has more STEM graduates than all other universities in Idaho combined.
“So while our graduation rates are greater than anyone else … the idea here is to accelerate the process,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said at UI the biology degrees within STEM will receive the majority of the grant. The university will also focus on degrees offered by the College of Natural Resources.
“The first step is really gathering our data so we can understand what students are at risk, how long it takes to graduate and things like gender and first-generation students,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton will collect the data by compiling a statewide self-assessment. The team decided to look at the need in Idaho for STEM students and see what options are available for graduates in the field.
“The number one growing occupations are in the health care field so that’s one reason to look at the biology majors,” Hamilton said. “In Idaho in the natural resource areas biology and technology … those types of degrees lend themselves to those work force options.”
Hamilton said they plan to add credit caps and curriculum maps with the grant. Curriculum maps will help students by showing them the classes they need to take, recommending when to take them and helping students steer away from courses unnecessary to their specific degree. Hamilton also said the CCA will give advisers more resources to help them be more involved in student’s academic careers by providing tools and training. After completing the statewide self-assessment, the STEM team will travel to Boston for a training academy provided by the CCA. The training academy will help STEM advisers set out specific goals and strategies.
Hamilton said one of the reasons they chose the biology program and the College of Natural Resources is because they are already participating in the GPS program.
“They are very proactive,” Hamilton said. “I would just give a big thumbs up to the College of Sciences and to the College of National Resources, because they are very engaged … to have colleges that are eager to try these changes and are so excited about engaging with their students makes me happy to work with them.”
Danielle Wiley can be reached at [email protected]