Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) Grant

Or, “The Bucket Grant”

Theme of Grant

Support Native American Women in Earning Baccalaureate Degrees in a STEM Field by Refining and Expanding the NWIC Native Environmental Science Interdisciplinary Concentration Option

Advantages of the Interdisciplinary Concentration Option

Great flexibility for students in meeting their academic, professional, and personal goalsStudents can integrate Native culture to a greater degree than in ES ConcentrationStudents can develop a broad range of degree options

More Choices

5 credit NES Concentration Seminar30 credits of electives, taken at NWIC or elsewhere21 credits of Individualized Learning Courses

Challenges in the Interdisciplinary Concentration Option

Many potential students don’t see the relevancy of the program to their day-today lives.Many students need to improve critical thinking skills to be able to identify steps from their current position to a desired future positionMany students need to improve writing skills to succeed.

How the grant helps

Grant funds will support improvements to the Interdisciplinary Concentration option

Year 1 (2009-2010)

Assessment of program effectiveness and appropriate adjustments to its methodology If needed, faculty and research staff who serve on students’ concentration committees will receive professional development opportunities on how to best support the student.

Year 1 (2009-2010)

Students encouraged to identify at least the chair of their committee during their sophomore year.

Year 1 (2009-2010)

New 100 or 200 level courses developedCritical Thinking for the Scientist Expressing Yourself Orally and in WritingWriting in the Context of Native Environmental Science Interdisciplinary Thinking

Courses offered for the first time in Year 2

new courses will emphasize these pedagogies:

Hands-on activities Place-based activitiesCollaborative learning activitiesService learning

Reciprocal Agreements with Other Colleges and Universities

Students can take up to 30 credits from other colleges and universitiesNWIC faculty and staff will work closely with Fairhaven and Huxley to refine ICOMOU will be developedFormal Agreements with UW, WSU, UBC

Improving Extended Campus effectiveness

Yr 1: identify best practices to accommodate the needs of distant NES students Yr 2: Implement findingsHire half-time TA’s at Swinomish and Lummi

Imbedded in classroom, BSNES prerequisites and courses

New lab at Swinomish

Writing Tutors

Embed writing tutors in 100 and 200 level science courses with significant required writing (not in budget)

Objectives

Objective 1-6: Increase enrollment and graduation rates with specific targetsObjective 7: In Year 1, develop curriculum for four new 100 and/or 200 level coursesObjective 8: Engage freshman and sophomore NES students in at least one place-based, science-oriented service learning activity per quarter.

Objectives

Objective 9: Provide NES students with opportunities to hear or meet with Native speakers who work in the sciences (3/qtr)Objective 10: Develop formal agreements with WWU, UW, WSU, and UBC to insure course transferability

Hiring Faculty

Three faculty at 0.6 FTE each

Faculty Responsibilities

Supervision of the Teaching Assistant at LummiChairing and participating in students’ concentration committeesCurriculum development for new coursesInstruction of existing coursesCoordination of student internship programs

Other covered items

Guest Lecturers ($3,600): Native Americans who work in a STEM field will make presentations on a monthly basis

Field Trips ($14,400): Two field trips per month will be spread among many courses.