Hispanic Institutions:

Vital to Increasing

Latinos in STEM

Fields

April 2019

Wendy M. Stack, Ph.D.

Associate Vice President

HACU Capitol Forum

April 1, 2019

Purpose of Title III (from USDOE)

To increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students

attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering,

or mathematics

To develop model transfer and articulation agreements between

two-year and four-year institutions in such fields

Title III Grants at NEIU

Enhancing Career Opportunities in Biomedical

and Environmental Health Sciences (2011-2017)

Exit on Time In STEM (2018-2022)

Enhancing Career

Opportunities in Biomedical

and Environmental Health

Sciences

Overview Increase and enhance the preparation of Hispanic and low-income

students for biomedical and environmental health sciences careers

Create a seamless transition from 2 year HSI’s into STEM majors

at NEIU

Increase degree attainment of Hispanic and low-income students

in the STEM fields

Funded at $4,345,618 over five years

College of Arts and Sciences, Student Center for Science

Engagement, Learning Support Services, Transfer Center and

Institutional Research and Assessment

Program Activities Add new and enhance existing courses related to biomedical and

environmental health sciences

Create two new faculty positions – one in anatomy/physiology and

the other in biomedical and health sciences

Create a human cadaver lab and upgrade existing labs

Provide students with faculty-mentored basic and applied research

opportunities

Implement the Math Enrichment Workshop Series (MEWP)

Program Activities Provide support to Hispanic and low-income students in NEIU’s

calculus sequence

Create and implement an Emerging Scholars Program

Create a new position of Coordinator of Student Academic

Services in STEM

Establish articulation agreements with area 2 year HSI’s

Outcomes Increased the number of Hispanic students who received a STEM

degree from a baseline of 38 to 86

Increased the number of low-income students who received a

STEM degree from a baseline of 49 to 135

Increased the passing rate of Hispanic students in Pre-Calculus,

Calculus I and Calculus 2 from 43.8% to 48.2%

Increased the passing rate of low-income students in Pre-

Calculus, Calculus I and Calculus 2 from 59.4% to 63.6%

Increased the number of students who transferred from a 2-year

HSI into a STEM program at NEIU from 79 to 156

Exit on Time in STEM

(EXITO)

Exit on Time in STEM• Increase retention of Hispanic and low-income students and

increase the number of Hispanic and low-income STEM majors, and the overall degree completion rate

• NEIU in partnership with Triton College

• Funded at $5,629,663 over five years

• College of Arts and Sciences, Student Center for Science Engagement, Student Success and Retention, Learning Support Services, Center for College Access and Success and Institutional Research and Assessment

• External Evaluator is WestEd

Measurable Outcomes

• Increase the percentage of first-year Hispanic and low-income

students who pass a math gateway course from 25.7% to 32%

• Increase the percentage of first-year students who pass a math

gateway course from 22% to 32%

• Increase the fall-to-fall retention rate for first-year Hispanic students

from 56.6% to 67.0%

• Increase the fall-to-fall retention rate for first-year students from 60.3%

to 72.0%

Measurable Outcomes

• Increase retention of first-year cohort Hispanic students from year 1 to

year 3 from 43.6% to 54.0%

• Increase retention of first-year cohort students from year 1 to year 3

from 44.9% to 55.0%

• Increase the number of of Hispanic and low-income students

transferring with 60 hours or less to graduation in three years or less

from 56% to 66%

Performance MeasuresAbsolute Priority One: Develop strategies designed to improve academic

success to help retain students and move the students rapidly through

core courses and through program completion.

• Increase the number of Hispanic and low-income first time, full-time

(FTFT) STEM field degree-seeking undergraduate students by 5%

over baseline

• Increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income FTFT STEM field

degree-seeking undergraduate students who remain in a STEM field

into their second year by 7.5% over baseline

• Increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income FTFT degree-

seeking undergraduate students that are on track to graduate within six

years by 15%

Performance MeasuresAbsolute Priority Two: Increase the number of Hispanic and low-income

students attaining degrees in the STEM fields and develop model transfer

and articulation agreements between two year HSI’s and four year

institutions.

• Increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income FTFT degree-

seeking undergraduates enrolled at Triton College who graduate within

three years of enrollment with a STEM degree by 10% over baseline

• Increase the percentage of Hispanic and low-income students

transferring successfully to NEIU from a two year HSI’s and retained in

a STEM field major by 10% over baseline

Program Activities Construct and equip a state of the art environmental science wet

lab at NEIU

Construct and equip a math lab at Triton College

Faculty-led early research experiences for students in

environmental science and other related STEM disciplines

Academic coaching support for students

Early outreach to high school students interested in STEM fields

and careers

Innovative summer programming

Program Activities Support for early completion of gateway math courses

Develop and implement co-requisite college level algebra course

Proactive academic advising and success coaching to increase

on-time course completion

Curricular alignment and discipline specific articulation

agreements to increase student success in STEM

Joint professional development focused on high-impact strategies

in STEM teaching for Hispanic and low-income students

Staffing Program Director

STEM Retention and Student Success Coach (2)

High School STEM Outreach Coordinator

NEIU/Triton Transfer Advisor (40%)

Environmental Science Lab Manager (50%)

Peer Mentors (PLTL’s) in gateway mathematics

STEM Tutors

Outcomes to Date State of the Art Environmental Science Lab is complete

Math Lab at Triton College is complete

Co-Requisite math course developed

Co-Requisite Course Math 092/College Algebra 173 was piloted in

Fall and Spring 2019

Implemented Faculty-led early research summer experiences for

students in environmental science

Enhancing Education and

Research

Outcomes

for STEM

Education

at NEIU

0.0

4.0

8.0

12.0

16.0

20.0

2010 2015 2020

STEM Majors as Percentage of OverallNortheastern Illinois University

Undergraduate Enrollment

% of STEM

Enhancing Education and Research:

Outcomes for STEM

Education at NEIU

831 92

0

1024

1032

1055

998

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

STEM

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

NEIU Undergraduate

Overall U

ndergraduate Enrollm

ent

Majors in

STEM

programs

increasing

Enhancing Education and Research:

Outcomes for STEM

Education at NEIU

Diversity

in STEM

programs

at NEIU

increasing

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

All White Hispanic Asian AfricanAmerican

A Coordinated EffortAccess and Success

GEAR UP (USDOE)

Upward Bound Math and Science (USDOE)

NOYCE Scholars (NSF)

HSI IUSE (NSF)

Title V Individual (USDOE)

Title V Cooperative (USDOE)

TRIO Student Support Services (USDOE)

Leveraging our GrantsBuilding Capacity

National Science Foundation – NOYCE Scholarship Program

National Science Foundation – HSI IUSE

National Science Foundation – S-STEM Track 3 (pending)

National Science Foundation – STEM+C

National Institute of Health - U54

Thank you

Wendy M. Stack, Ph.D.

w-stack@neiu.edu

312-563-7232