HSTA In College: Strengthening The Pipeline for Underrepresented Students in STEM and Health Sciences

Katherine S. Lee*; Gregory D. Epps Sr., EdD; Sean P. Freeland, MA

West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, WV, 26505

Presentation Category: Behavioral & Social Sciences (Poster Presentation #72)

Student’s Major: Immunology and Medical Microbiology

To meet a nationwide need for improved diversity in STEM at the professional level, STEM and Health Science pipeline programs find success in guiding students from underrepresented backgrounds to enter college programs in related fields. Still, persistence and retention rates within this population remain unfavorable. The literature supports the use of mentor relationships, extracurricular involvement, and living/learning communities as just a few of the initiatives that can positively impact the likelihood of underrepresented students persisting in their chosen programs of study. Incorporating meaningful opportunities for involvement contributes to an overall feeling of belonging that positively impacts students’ sense of self. Laying the groundwork for future supportive programming, this project focuses on the pilot years of the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) Ambassadors Program initiative at West Virginia University. This program engages HSTA alumni students from underrepresented backgrounds in West Virginia (minority, rural, first-generation college student, financially disadvantaged) in networking opportunities and a community that continues many supportive aspects of their high school program. Program impact is then evaluated by tracking the evolving self-identities of student cohorts using pro-academic identity surveys and qualitative feedback collected during interactions with program facilitators. The initiatives and findings of this project have broad implications for improvements to STEM and Health Science programs at universities across the country.

Funding: Honors EXCEL Program

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: Other, Honors EXCEL Program