Supporting the Transition to NAU in STEM: Transfer-GEMS

Alexander Ollerton1, Vanessa Fitz-Kesler2, Nena Bloom2, Jennifer Duis1, Pauline Entin3

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry1,Center for Science Teaching and Learning2, Vice Provost3, Northern Arizona University

Questions

Program Description Acknowledgments

Future objectives

AbstractMany undergraduates decide to start school at a two-year college while intending to eventually transfer to a four-year institution for numerous reasons. However, transfer students receive few resources, as incoming freshman are the primary target of four-year institutions’ support, resources, and scholarships. In addition to these issues, incoming transfer Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) students may have difficulty transferring their credits from their previous institutions and may not enter with critical introductory coursework (e.g. calculus and general chemistry) completed, which slows down degree progression and time to graduation. In an effort to help with these issues, a learning community (Transfer-GEMS) and an NSF-funded scholarship was developed to support transfer students in the College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Sciences (CEFNS) at Northern Arizona University. Additional efforts include outreach to community colleges and improvement of institutional websites to better provide information transfer students need. The intent of the Transfer-GEMS program is to increase retention rate and success while trying to decrease time to graduation. Voluntary survey data and tracking of academics (e.g. GPA) before and during program implementation is allowing us to better understand the CEFNS transfer student experience and to examine how the transfer student experience is impacted by the Transfer-GEMS program.

• Investigate funding issues associated with transfer students.

• Implement grant funding for student attendance at local, regional and national meetings.

• Conduct interviews with students to delve further into survey responses.

• Survey students on how effective the Jacks transfer is assessing transfer grades.

• Work with CEFNS departments to enhance transfer student information on NAU websites.

• Explore re-implementation of an on-campus transfer student orientation. (In progress, Office of Admissions.)

• Work on implementing informing students on undergraduate research opportunities.

ReferencesBarbara K. Townsend, Kristin Wilson. 2006, JHU Press, 47, 439Marian Alfonso. 2006, Res. Higher Ed., 47, 873Toni A. Campbell, David E. Campbell. 1997, Res. Higher Ed., 38, 727Terry T. Ishitani. 2008, Res. high ed., 49, 403

To what extent is the Transfer-GEMS program assisting with retention rate? To what extent is the Transfer-GEMS program meeting the needs of transfer students?

Transfers to Graduates in Engineering, Math and Science (Transfer-GEMS), was initiated in Fall 2014 as a program to assist transfer students in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines. This program was designed to assist these students through a competitive scholarship, a seminar course covering academic success skills and emphasizing career preparation, and a mentored learning community that builds a supportive network of peers. 

Conclusions

Academic enrichments wanted

Financial issues

Transfer-GEMS seems to be having a positive impact on students. As demonstrated by Table 1: Transfer-GEMS cohort 1, which has been in the program for 1+yr, appear to have higher GPAs than the consented transfer students.

Compared to AY 2013-2014 Students appear to be working less hours

Students would like**: o On-campus transfer orientation. o More academic enrichment opportunities.

o Internship help/opportunities o Increased financial aid opportunities. o More accessible transfer specific websites. o A seminar on how to succeed in college.

While Transfer-GEMS offers many of the above it currently supports ~10% of each year’s incoming CEFNS transfer population (~380/AY).

“On”-Campus More financial aid opportunities

for transfer students. 3 students were declined

scholarships due to changes from financial aid

25% of students are struggling with pay for school and living expenses.2

Table 2

Improved online orientation, yet students still want an in person orientation.

Transfer specific web pages needed Jacks Transfer is now live.

Students can see a better outline of future classes needed to complete degree

Other improvements ongoing…

Statements from the survey:

“Most of my credits didn't transfer as I thought they would. Some that my NAU advisor told me would count have not been counted or completely miscategorized. “

“I felt a lot of times that in the transfer situation that I was going through it was like pulling teeth to get answers/help from NAU. “

“Just getting an idea of NAU. But an online transfer [orientation] has no communication or time with different people, keeps your (sic) isolated as a transfer student. “

“I really want someone that knows my major to go over the classes I need to take to graduate and the classes that transferred and make an academic plan with me. “

Student participants. LC Mentor: A. Koritzke

Transfer-GEMS research group: Jennifer Johnson, Nena Bloom, Derek Sonderegger, Brent Nelson

CENS 199 Professor: Diana Sundermeyer

NAU ChemEd Research group, Megan Belmares, Kevin, Tim

National Science Foundation Grant Number 1260138

CEFNS Transfer Survey and Related Results

Figure 1: Cohort 1 and 2 Transfer-GEMS Learning Community

Scholarship (12 students)

Residential (8

students)

T-GEMS Seminar (11 students)

(2 students)

(11 students)

Male/Female: 52/48*Average GPA: 3.07± 0.78

Study Results

6%

40%

13%

26%

5%5%

6%

Figure 2: CEFNS Transfer Students AY 2013-2014

Math/PhysicsBiological SciencesEarth SciencesEngineeringForestryChemsitryMisc.N = 284

nsample= 87

Misc. includes: Journalism, Undeclared, Nursing, Secondary Education, Parks and Rec. Management, and Anthropology*

Academic Enrichments Cohort 1 Cohort 2

Major-focused talks/presentations 79% 67%

Attending local/regional/national meetings 75% 75%

Undergraduate Research 67% 67%

Internships related to major 92% 96%

Workshops for graduate school 50% 54%

Career advising/workshop/seminar 58% 79%

Work Hours AY 2014 AY 201511-20 hrs 38% 41%

21-30 hrs 29.% 18%

31-40 hrs 12% 14%

40+ hrs 3% 0%

As described by Figure 2, transfer-GEMS cohort one and two seems to be fairly representative of the consented CEFNS transfer student population for the AY 2013-2014. The transfer-GEMS cohorts seem to lack representation in biological sciences and math/physics while having over representation of engineering. The male-to-female ratio seems to be higher in female representation for the transfer-GEMS population.

N=31

*Students initially entered into CEFNS but changed major by time of survey.

Student Type N* M/F %

Fall GPA 2013

Spring GPA 2014

Fall GPA 2014

Spring GPA 2015

CEFNS Transfer

Students2

87 52/48 3.18±0.89 3.00±0.93 2.69±1.311 -

Transfer GEMS

26 46/54 N/A N/A 3.15±0.67 3.26±0.51

* N for 2014-215 AY is 481: Several 0.00 GPA present indicating student dropped from university

2: Students represented are survey participants.

Table 1

**Transfer-GEMS cohort 1 and 2 as well as survey participants.