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2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT
SM
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Table of Contents
3 Letter from the STEM Council Co-Chairs
4 Introduction to the STEM Council
5 Meet the Co-Chairs
6 Campus STEM Coordinators
7 STEM Council Members
8 STEM Partnerships
9 STEM Service Learning and Outreach
13 STEM Event Highlights
14 Undergraduate Research and Internships
16 Recognitions
19 STEM Grants
19 STEM Scholarships
20 Students Enrollment and Retention
21 STEM Awards
22 Student Success Intervention
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Dear San Jacinto College faculty, staff and administrators:
The San Jacinto College STEM Council sincerely thanks you
for your continued support. Because of you, not only are we
able to bring increased awareness of STEM educational and
career opportunities to our students, but we continue to
provide innovative learning and research opportunities that
set them up for success in pursuing their educational and
professional goals.
Two of the biggest highlights this year include Dr. Teddy
Farias joining the STEM Council as co-chair alongside Dr.
Ann Cartwright and the STEM Council receiving a second
national recognition from the American Chemical Society.
Dr. Farias assumed the co-chair position in August 2019,
continuing the steadfast leadership that Dr. Alexander
Okwonna set in motion during his term as co-chair. Last
year, the STEM Council was honored as the country’s top
organization for STEM outreach activities, and in October
2019, for a second consecutive year, the American Chemical
Society Greater Houston Section named San Jacinto College
number one in the nation for STEM outreach to pre-college
age students.
Another great highlight includes the Council’s creation of an
extensive collaboration between the San Jacinto College’s
process technology and chemistry departments in the
new LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, &
Technology. In addition, throughout 2018-2019, the Council
has sponsored and supported: 30 outside speaker events
for San Jacinto College students; 30 STEM outreach and
service-learning events reaching more than 6,000 pre-
college age students; the College’s annual Space Day event;
four STEM summer camps reaching more than 150 K-12
students; 20 robotics events; 20 field trips; and a number
of summer internships for San Jacinto College students at
various prestigious institutions including Rice University,
University of Iowa, U.S. Department of Energy at the Fermi
National Acceleratory Laboratory in CERN, NASA, and
Baylor College of Medicine’s Summer Program. In addition
to partnering with more than 70 independent school
districts and individual schools, we have also supported
eight STEM enrichment events for STEM faculty members.
STEM scholarships from LSAMP, T-STEM, San Jacinto
College departments of chemistry, biology, and the STEM
Council totaled more than $192,000 for 2018-2019.
As we move into a new year, perhaps our most challenging
to date, San Jacinto College and the STEM Council will
continue to provide and facilitate innovative educational
access to STEM education and opportunities.
Letter from the STEM Council Co-Chairs
ALEXANDER OKWONNA, PHARM.D.North Campus Provost Co-Chair of STEM Council
TEDDY FARIAS, D.C. Dean of Health and Natural Sciences Co-Chair of STEM Council
ANN CARTWRIGHT, PH.D Professor of ChemistryCo-Chair of STEM Council
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About STEM education at San Jacinto CollegeScience, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
education is a critical part of San Jacinto College’s academic
focus. Houston’s energy, medical, and aerospace industries
rely upon STEM graduates, and the need for STEM graduates
continues to increase. Studies in STEM areas offer students
opportunities to achieve careers in industries that pay well.
Additionally, the Texas community college funding model
awards Student Success Points for student success in STEM
fields.
The STEM Council, a recommending body to the San
Jacinto College Strategic Leadership Team, is charged with
advancing STEM student success throughout the College and
its community.
THE PURPOSE OF THE STEM COUNCIL IS:
• To provide strong leadership to the College and the
community in advancing the role of STEM. To capitalize
on STEM efforts already underway at San Jacinto College.
• To serve as a recommending body to the College’s
Strategic Leadership Team.
• To identify opportunities for P-16 and workforce
partnerships related to STEM, including expanding
opportunities for internships.
• To identify alignment concerns and gaps in offerings.
• To recommend actions to increase student success in
STEM programs.
IntroductionThe STEM Council at San Jacinto College strives to increase awareness
of education and career opportunities related to the fields of science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The Council sponsors STEM
activities throughout the College and the region, as Houston ranks among the
top 10 cities for STEM careers. The Council works with community members
to promote the STEM fields, while forging strong partnerships with universities
and industries for further education and workforce training.
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DR. ANN CARTWRIGHT (co-chair 2013-2020) has taught chemistry at San Jacinto College since 1979. During that time,
she has served as chair of the department of physical science and is currently serving as co-chair of the College’s STEM
Council and degree task force. During her career, Dr. Cartwright has received numerous teaching awards including the
NISOD Excellence Award, Chemical Manufacturing Association Catalyst Award, American Chemical Society Greater
Houston Section Two-Year College Teaching Award, Minnie Stevens Piper Award and is a Distinguished Professor
Level III at San Jacinto College. She is also named in Who’s Who Among American Teachers and Who’s Who Among
American Women. Her main interests are the recruitment and retention of STEM students through STEM service-
learning and the STEM Outreach Program at San Jacinto College. Dr. Cartwright holds a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry
from the University of Kansas.
DR. ALEXANDER OKWONNA (co-chair 2016-2019) has served in faculty and administrative roles at San Jacinto
College for more than 14 years. He currently serves as the provost at North Campus. His vision for STEM at San Jacinto
College focuses on the 3 Rs: Recruit, Retain, and Reward. Active in a number of professional, health, and community
organizations, Dr. Okwonna serves on the Pearland Chamber of Commerce Community Council, the Memorial Hermann
Southeast Advisory Committee, and the Bay Area Alliance for Youth & Families Drug Take-Back Committee. Dr. Okwonna
is currently serving a two-year term as a board member for the Texas Association of Black Personnel in Higher Education
(TABPHE) and is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Recently, Dr. Okwonna was named vice president
to the Texas Association of College Technical Educators (TACTE) for a three-year term. He has received several awards
including the U.S. Army Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Performance as Class Leader, San Jacinto College’s
Distinguished Faculty Award, and The League for Innovation in the Community College’s John & Suanne Roueche
Excellence Award. Dr. Okwonna holds a Pharm.D. from Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health
Sciences and is a licensed pharmacist.
DR. TEDDY FARIAS (co-chair 2019-present) is the dean of health and natural sciences at the San Jacinto College North
Campus. He is a chiropractor by trade and educator at heart. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
from the University of Missouri, a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Logan University, and a Master of Higher Education in
Administration and Leadership from Purdue University Global (formerly Kaplan University). He also maintains an active
chiropractic license in the state of Texas and is a certified acupuncturist and medical assistant. Prior to his role at San
Jacinto College, Dr. Farias held positions at St. Louis Community College, San Juan College, and Wichita State University
and owned a private chiropractic practice in St. Louis, Missouri. In his spare time, he enjoys basketball, chess, home beer
brewing, and volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Meet the Co-Chairs
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CHERYL MOTT has been teaching at San Jacinto College in the college preparatory mathematics department since
2009. Previously, she taught upper-level mathematics in the Pasadena Independent School District for six years.
Mott is very involved with U.S. FIRST Robotics and has served as the Southeast Texas FTC Volunteer Coordinator
since 2010. You will often find Mott helping students, working with the San Jacinto College Central Campus’ Artificial
Intelligence (AI) lab activities or coordinating and participating in many STEM outreach programs. Many San Jacinto
College T-STEM scholarship recipients turn to Mott for mentorship as she too is an alumna of the College. Mott holds
an associate degree from San Jacinto College, a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Houston and an M.Ed.
from the University of Texas at Arlington.
NATHANIAL WIGGINS is a Distinguished Professor of mathematics and engineering at San Jacinto College. He
holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado, an M.S. from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and is working
toward a Ph.D. at Texas Tech University. Wiggins is a co-principal investigator for the National Science Foundation
grant “Bridges to STEM Careers” collaborative with University of Houston-Clear Lake and maintains research in
engineering education. He is a lead scientist for AI-Tech Labs at San Jacinto College and a faculty mentor through
Distinguished Faculty and Men of Honor.
DR. SHEEMA NASIR is an anatomy and physiology professor at San Jacinto College. She completed her
undergraduate studies at St. Joseph’s College in New York and received her M.D. from the University of Kansas
School of Medicine. She worked as an OBGYN at her private practice for eight years before working for the Sindh
Government Health Department for six years. Dr. Nasir received her lab technique certification from the University of
Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) and was involved in breast cancer research studies from 2002 to 2008.
Since then she has taught as an adjunct professor at various Texas institutes from 2009 to 2016 when she began
teaching full-time at the San Jacinto College South Campus.
STEM Council Campus STEM Coordinators
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STEM Council MembersNAME TITLE AND DEPARTMENT LOCATION
Dr. Rhonda Bell Dean of Natural & Health Science North
Tim Bell Department Chair of Mathematics & Physical Education North
Pamela Betts Faculty of Computer Science & Computer Information Technology South
Regan Boudra Department Chair of Mathematics South
Dr. Ann Cartwright Faculty of Chemistry and STEM Council Co-Chair Central
J. F. Dzuryak Faculty of Geology North
Dr. Teddy Farias Dean of Health and Natural Sciences and STEM Council Co-Chair North
Janis Fowler Director of Aerospace Academy CPD
Rachel Garcia Department Chair of Chemistry, Geology, and Physics Central
Susana Gonzalez Manager, Safety/Health/Environment/RM SHERM District
Scott Hairston Director of Grants Development District
Marco Lozano Senior Research Analyst District
Ryan Martinets Department Chair of Mathematics Central
Courtney Morris Communications Coordinator District
Cheryl Mott Faculty of Mathematics Central
Lambrini Nicopoulos Department Chair of Life Sciences South
Dr. Alexander Okwonna North Campus Provost and STEM Council Co-Chair North
Yuli Pernia Faculty of Biology North
Sharon Sledge Faculty of Mathematics Central
Susan Starr Department Chair of Physical and Life Sciences North
Earle Thomas Manager of Financial Aid Services South
Andrea Vasquez Senior Communications Coordinator District
Nathanial Wiggins Faculty of Engineering North
Dr. Christopher Wild Department Chair of Physical Science & Engineering South
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PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SCHOLARSHIPS/FUNDING/EVENTS PARTNERSAmerican Chemical Society—Greater Houston Section
Houston Chemical Association
Houston Geological Society
INDUSTRY EVENTS/SPEAKERS/TOURS/FUNDING PARTNERS
Arkema, Inc. Houston Zoo
Boeing KHOU-TV – Dr. Neil Frank
Cascade MVS Lockheed Martin
ChemTreat LyondellBasell
City of Houston NASA
Communities in Schools, Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) NASA Langley Research Center
Dow Chemical Company, Texas Operations Port of Houston
Galveston Bay Foundation Texas Parks and Wildlife, San Jacinto College into Battleground State Historic Site
General Electric Texas Parks and Wildlife, Sea Center Texas
Houston Museum of Natural Science U.S. Department of Energy
UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
Baylor College of Medicine Texas A&M College of Geosciences
Cancer Center School of Health Professions Rice University
University of Houston College of Engineering Texas A&M Galveston
University of Houston-Clear Lake College of Science and Engineering Texas Tech University Whitacre
University of Houston College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
University of Houston-Clear Lake College of Industrial Hygiene and Safety
Lamar University College of Engineering University of Iowa
Michigan Technological University The University of Texas MD Anderson
STEM PartnershipsSan Jacinto College has
STEM partnerships with
numerous schools, professional
organizations, and industries to
help provide opportunities for
students. Here are just a few of
our STEM partners.
STEM SERVICE-LEARNING EDUCATION PARTNERS
Aldine ISD Galena Park ISD Pearland ISD
Alief ISD Goose Creek ISD Port Lavaca ISD
Bay City ISD Hamshire-Fannett ISD Sheldon ISD
Beaumont ISD Harmony Public Schools Shepherd ISD
Brazosport ISD Houston ISD Somerville ISD
Brenham ISD Humble ISD Spring Branch ISD
Calhoun County ISD Iman Academy Spring ISD
Channelview ISD KIPP Houston Public Schools Stafford Municipal School District
Clear Creek ISD Klein ISD Tidehaven ISD
Communities in Schools, Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) La Porte ISD Tomball ISD
Conroe ISD Lamar Consolidated ISD Van Vleck ISD
Deer Park ISD Livingston ISD Willis ISD
Fort Bend ISD Palacios ISD
Friendswood ISD Pasadena ISD
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STEM Outreach and Service LearningSTEM outreach and service learning go hand-in-hand. Many of the hands-on STEM
experiments in the outreach program are taught to the pre-college-aged students
by San Jacinto College students as a part of STEM service learning. In addition
to providing students opportunities to reinforce and apply theories and concepts
outside of the classroom, service learning also allows students to explore career
opportunities in teaching; develop leadership skills; and improve self-esteem.
Take a look on the following pages of the largest annual STEM outreach and service
learning events that are supported by the San Jacinto College STEM Council.
PASADENA ISD STEAM FAIRSSan Jacinto College has hosted the Regional Secondary
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math
(STEAM) Fair for Pasadena ISD since the 1990s. Since
the inception of the STEM Council, the fair location is
now annually rotated between the Central and South
Campuses. In addition to supplying the fair location,
the visiting Pasadena ISD students have lunch on
campus and go on a campus tour. San Jacinto College
provides judges and holds a small STEAM Expo for the
families and students after the projects are judged prior
to the awards ceremony. The fairs have grown from
approximately 70 applicants to more than 200. At least
20-30 San Jacinto College faculty members and 60-80
college students are involved each year.
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SPACE DAY Space Day is an annual free event sponsored by the San Jacinto
College Aerospace Academy that connects students interested
in the STEM fields to representatives from NASA and workforce
industry leaders. Students receive information about internships
and scholarships, and networking opportunities are made available.
Event displays include lunar samples, robotics/artificial intelligence,
virtual reality, rocketry, Orion-Mars, and planetary science. Guests
are also able to enjoy a Star Party on the observation deck of the
College’s South Campus science and allied health building, getting
a chance to view the night sky using the College’s 16-inch reflector
telescope. The featured special guest for the 2018 Space Day was
David Leestma, former NASA Astronaut.
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STEM EXPOSIn a partnership with Communities in Schools
Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE), San Jacinto
College has hosted a 15 STEM Expos at the Central,
North, and South Campuses within the last four years.
Approximately 500 elementary school students from
Pasadena (Central Campus), Galena Park (North
Campus), Pearland, and Houston ISDs (South Campus)
and their parents attend the Expos featuring more
than 30 STEM activity stations facilitated by 30 faculty
members and 100 college student volunteers per event.
These high-impact STEM Expos are made possible by a
collaborative grant from the American Chemical Society
– Greater Houston Section.
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MIND TREKKERS: ADVENTURES IN STEM FESTIVAL
This annual two-day event provides opportunities for
thousands of sixth grade students from area schools
to engage in and observe more than 100 STEM
demonstrations facilitated by San Jacinto College
faculty, staff, students, and industry partners. Hands-
on, interactive STEM activities provide opportunities
to expand students’ curiosity and interests in pursuing
STEM education and careers that are vital to our
economic sustainability. The free event also includes
a family night where family and friends can enjoy the
same activities and experiments. The 2018 Mind Trekkers:
Adventures in STEM Festival saw nearly 5,000 students
and more than 400 community members. Industry
partners include Chevron Philips, LyondellBasell, INEOS,
Dow, PetrochemWorks, the City of La Porte EMS, and
the San Jacinto College Foundation.
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STEM Event Highlights2018
January• Lunar Eclipse Party- students and community members came out to the
San Jacinto College North Campus to view the lunar eclipse using science department telescopes
March• “Be the Match” National Marrow Donor program event- 117 students
attended; 21 students joined the national registry and 2 students were a match
September• STEM Scholarship Information Session event saw 121 students attend to
learn more information scholarship opportunities through the San Jacinto College Foundation and the College’s STEM departments
October• Dr. Jennifer Fogarty, NASA Human Research Program Chief Scientist,
visited San Jacinto College to share her life story of overcoming obstacles and what it means to be a woman in STEM
November• Geology students visited Llano for a field study and observations• San Jacinto College anatomy and physiology professor, Aleshia Seaton,
presented “Genes and Mutation” with a movie screening of X-MEN: The
Last Stand- 156 students attended
2019
January• Engineering Day at Clear Lake High School - more than 1,000 students attended
February• Pasadena Regional STEAM Fair- hosted at Central Campus with approximately 180 pre-
college age students plus parents, 50 San Jacinto College student volunteers, and 25 College faculty and staff volunteers
• Morris Middle School Career Night- more than 300 middle school students and parents attended
• Houston Hispanic Forum Career & Education Day at George R. Brown Convention Center- more than 3,000 pre-college age attendees
March• Mind Trekkers: Adventures in STEM Festival- nearly 6,000 sixth graders from local middle
schools attended the annual STEM extravaganza with approximately 100 hands-on experiments, demonstrations, and crafts
• Second annual Undergraduate Research Symposium- 20 students participated in the poster session; keynote speaker was Rodney Roth, Vice President of Barric Valves +
June/July• STEM faculty and students hosted 2019 STEM summer camps: Aerospace Camp, Upward
Bound, Robot Ruckus, Energy Venture, STEM Survivor Camp, and Maritime Venture Camp• Armand Bayou Nature Center-students studied aquatic and forest ecosystems
October• Sheldon Lake State Park biology service-learning project- students completed amphibian
and bird surveys, invasive plant removal, and wetlands restoration studies
November• Heron Park and Armand Bayou Nature Center- students conducted habitat
restoration studies• Communities in Schools campus STEM Expos- approximately 500 pre-college age guests
on each campus for a total of 1500, along with 40 experiment stations at each event and 375 San Jacinto College student, faculty, and staff volunteers
• Texas Space Grant Consortium Design Challenge Showcase- 3 San Jacinto College engineering students invited to propose, design, and fabricate a solution toward solving NASA research objectives of importance
• Students visited the Houston Museum of Natural Science for the Lego “The Art of the Brick” and Stonehenge exhibitions, along with a behind the scenes fossils tour
• San Jacinto College students and faculty visied the NASA Johnson Space Center’s Sonny Carter Training Facility/Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) and were able to witness an astronaut training session
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Undergraduate Research /InternshipsThe San Jacinto College STEM Council has been instrumental in
collaborating with partnering institutions and developing external and
internal undergraduate research opportunities. These opportunities
provide students with hands-on, advanced-level research experience
most community college STEM students don’t have exposure to.
Students in the undergraduate research program work side-by-side
along San Jacinto College STEM faculty, university faculty from across
the nation, and internationally renowned scientists and medical
professionals assisting with everything from groundbreaking cancer
research to developing software for the world’s largest particle
accelerator. Not only do these internships open doors to academic and
career advancement, but they also provide students with life-changing
multicultural experiences around the U.S. and across the globe. Here
are just a few examples of undergraduate research opportunities
supported in 2018-2019 by the STEM Council:
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOLDEN COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER• Three universities, and one community college (San Jacinto
College) are exclusive participants in UI’s National Cancer Institute
Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) grant
• Eight summer research fellowships are awarded each year based
on academic merit and an essay.
• The fellowship culminates in oral and poster presentations to UI
cancer center faculty, presentations at professional and academic
conferences throughout the academic year, and competing at the
San Jacinto College Undergraduate Research Symposium poster
competition.
• Three San Jacinto College students were accepted for the 2018
fellowship program and three for 2019, making nine San Jacinto
College students accepted to date.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR UNDERGRADUATES (REU) AT RICE UNIVERSITY• Since 2012, San Jacinto College has provided letters of support
and collaboration for the NSF-funded REUs in Bionetworks and
Nanotechnology
• To date, 12 SJC students participated in the Bionetworks REU
(TBD)
SAN JACINTO COLLEGE FACULTY-DRIVEN RESEARCH AND PROJECT MENTORSHIP
Nathanial Wiggins, Engineering professor
Professor Nathanial Wiggins leads a number of students as they
engineer technology solutions for:
• TCC Wearable Tech Competition (collaborative with Iowa State
University and VINSS designers)
• SIMIODE SCUDEM Competition (national competition hosted by
MIT, locally hosted by St. Thomas University)
• NASA Space Robotics Challenge Phase II (collaborative with
University of Houston-Clear Lake)
• NSF BSC Subaward of 100k from UHCL for student research
awarded summer 2019
Dr. Connie Gomez, Engineering professor
• Students under Dr. Connie Gomez’s mentorship developed
research projects that include the engineering of a fog harvester,
automated hydroponic system, and the design and 3-D printing
of biological specimens. These students also presented at local
national conferences.
• 10 students were paired with industry mentors for a semester-
long experience as a part of the new SJC – Pipe Valve and Fittings
Young Professionals Organization Mentoring Program
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Dr. Phuong Doan, Chemistry professor
• Dr. Phuong Doan’s students’ undergraduate research project
centered around the development of artificial skin. They also
presented and regional and national conferences.
Dr. Jose Nuñez, Chemistry professor
• Dr. Jose Nuñez mentored his students in the analysis of
pharmaceutically-relevant compounds and their crystal structures.
His students presented their research at regional and national
conferences.
Dr. Laria Redjimi, physics professor
• Dr. Redjimi’s mentorship afforded six students the opportunity to
conduct research at the European particle accelerator at CERN
in Geneva, Switzerland. These students later presented their
research and discussed their experiences at regional and national
conferences.
Dr. Madhu Gyawali, Physics professor
• Dr. Madhu Gyawali’s students studied and assisted in research
regarding the analysis of air-born particulate matter as pollutants
and presented at regional and national conferences.
Jane Sabey, Chemistry professor
• Jane Sabey mentored students in the analysis of water impurity
using the Undergraduate Research Center’s new Total Organic
Carbon/Nitrogen Analyzer and the Energy-dispersive X-ray
Fluorescence Spectrometer.
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San Jac Earns ChemLuminary KudosFor a second consecutive year, the San Jacinto College STEM Council was recognized by the American Chemical Society - Greater Houston Section (ACS-GHS) as its 2018 ACS Outstanding Kids & Chemistry Award, part of the national ChemLuminary Awards for excellence in promoting chemistry. Additionally, Dr. Christopher Wild, San Jacinto College South Campus department chair of physical sciences, was recognized with the annual ACS-GHS Two-Year College Teaching Award.
Through the STEM Council’s leadership, the College introduces more than 7,000 pre-college students to STEM education and career opportunities each year. Events include STEM expos for elementary students, Mind Trekkers for middle schoolers, the Aerospace Academy Space Day, and science fairs combined with campus tours.
Along with STEM outreach comes outstanding instruction from STEM faculty. Dr. Wild’s commitment to promoting STEM internship, research, and career opportunities to students was just a part of what ACS-GHS recognized when awarding him the prestigious Two-Year College Teaching Award.
Although ACS-GHS received the national recognition, the chapter honored San Jacinto College for its expansive STEM outreach that puts Houston on the radar.
ACS-GHS ranked the College third in outreach nationwide in 2016 and first in 2017 and 2018, thanks to the College’s initiatives. Competitors for ChemLuminary Awards include two- and four-year colleges, industries, and community organizations.
ACS-GHS and San Jacinto College have a long partnership. For two decades, the local chapter has helped fund the College’s STEM outreach programs, said Dr. Ann Cartwright, STEM Council co-chair.
“At the STEM expo on Central Campus in October, the Greater Houston section had a booth to conduct experiments with our guests,” Dr. Cartwright said. “They saw San Jacinto College in action and were very impressed with our student volunteers. We have a great partnership, with many of our chemistry faculty serving as members of the local chapter
and several having served as officers.”
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The San Jacinto College STEM Council was awarded the 2019 San Jacinto College Star Award for its contributions to innovative STEM outreach initiatives and internship and research opportunities for San Jacinto College students. As part of the San Jacinto College Monument Awards, up to 10 teams per year are recognized for sustained, exceptional performance above and beyond performance expectations for the completion of deliverables identified in the annual priorities or strategic goals.STAR AWARD
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Going above and beyond is second nature to engineering professor Dr. Connie Gomez. Whether it’s staying late to offer tutoring, making time to mentor students, collaborating with other faculty to secure national grant funding for continued student research projects, or driving a College bus full of students to NASA Johnson Space Center, it’s no surprise why Gomez was named San Jacinto College’s 2019-2020 Mini Stevens Piper nominee.
Since 1958, The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation has recognized outstanding professors from two- and four-year colleges and universities, both public and private. As a non-profit, charitable corporation, one of its biggest programs is the Piper Professor Program. Ten awards of $5,000 are distributed annually to college professors for superior teaching. Nominations are based on submissions by each college or university in the state of Texas.
“This is such an incredible honor,” said Gomez. “All of our faculty do outstanding work and support our students as much as we can. I’m honored to be nominated and am lucky to work with such amazing peers whom I learn from as well.”
Providing students with unique research opportunities is something Gomez is constantly curating. One of the College’s annual STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program highlights is the Undergraduate Research Symposium. The event allows STEM students to present their research to faculty, staff, students, and local educational and industry experts. Proving these opportunities is just one way Gomez strives to prepare her engineering students, tailoring the project, teams, and research methods to the students’ needs.
“Our Undergraduate Research Center provides students with a space to conduct their research and collaborate on other research projects so that they get university-
level research experience at a community college,” she said. “We know that a lot of our students are commuter students, so the traditional research and internship work experiences don’t work for them. They have to work to afford tuition, in addition to their other life necessities, so a lot of our STEM faculty want to provide our students with opportunities to gain actual STEM research experience they can list on their resumes. Most of our faculty have research projects that our students assist with, while others offer literature research which is crucial to the entire process. These students also present their research which allows them to hone in on their public speaking and presentation skills which will help them excel as professionals in their chosen STEM career fields.”
Gomez also values mentorship and collaboration, giving back whenever and however she can. To date, she has mentored more than 50 students and 14 adjunct professors with no desire to stop any time soon. She frequently visits local high schools to give presentations on what the College’s engineering program has to offer and what kinds of career opportunities are available in the engineering field. She is also involved in ongoing research collaborations with six other institutions for the joint partnership Wheels of Change grant awarded from the U.S. Department of Agriculture which provides research opportunities for agricultural engineering sustainability.
“At the end of the day, it’s so rewarding when I hear former students tell me how prepared they felt for their university engineering programs and the kinds of research, internship, and job opportunities they’re getting. That tells me we’re doing something right. We’re preparing the next generation of innovators while we
continue to be leaders in STEM education.”
Dr. Connie Gomez: Engaging The Next Generation of Engineers
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STEM AWARDS AMOUNT
Program Grants
NASA – Minority University Research and Education Program-Pathway to the Stars $322,131
NASA – MICRO – Center for Exploration and Sustainability $343,725
NSF – Louis Stokes B2B Alliance: Harris County Community College Alliance $1,477,907
NSF – Smart Center $15,000
HAS – Edge Center grant $425,000
Event or Summer Camp Grants
FIRST – Tech Challenge - Robotics $3,000
TWC – Camp Code for Girls $18,356
TOTAL: $2,605,119
FALL 2018 SEMESTER NUMBER SOURCE ROUNDED AVERAGE AWARD AMOUNT
T-STEM 33 Grant Funded $1,250 $41,250
LSAMP 10 Grant Funded $700 $7,000
STEM Council 3 Grant Funded $500 $1,500
SPRING 2019 SEMESTER NUMBER SOURCE ROUNDED AVERAGE AWARD AMOUNT
T-STEM 25 Grant Funded $1,250* $31,250
LSAMP 10 Grant Funded $700 $7,000
SUMMER 2019 SEMESTER NUMBER SOURCE ROUNDED AVERAGE AWARD AMOUNT
T-STEM 37 Grant Funded $1,250* $80,000
LSAMP 6 Grant Funded $700** $24,566
2018-2019 TOTAL STEM SCHOLARSHIPS $192,566
STEM GrantsSan Jacinto College continues to facilitate a
number of federal and state-funded grants
from organizations including the National
Science Foundation, the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board, the Texas Governor’s Office,
and Intergraph. These grants provide students with
scholarships, undergraduate research opportunities,
STEM events, industry guest speaker events, field
trips, outreach opportunities, and professional
development and enrichment for STEM faculty.
Student success is at the core of every
facet of San Jacinto College. We know that
the cost of higher education is rising, so
with the help of the San Jacinto College
Foundation and our numerous educational,
community, and industry partners, we are
able to provide scholarships for students
that help break down financial barriers.
Thanks to you, STEM students at San
Jacinto College are able to continue on
their educational and career pathways
to their ultimate goal of completing their
higher education credential.
STEM Scholarships
*T-STEM: 10 students completed the year’s award at $1,250, and 27 first-time recipients were paid $2,500 due to summer program completion
**LSAMP: 6 students were paid $4,094.40 per 10-week internship
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DISTRICT-WIDE STEM TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Fall ‘15 Fall ‘16 Fall ‘17 Spring ‘16 Spring ‘17 Spring ‘18Fall ‘18 Spring ‘19Fall ‘19
STUDENT SUCCESS TOTALS BY SEMESTER % Completers by Course% Passing by Course% A to C% A to C Completers
0
20
40
60
80
100Percent of Students
STEM EnrollmentIn an effort toward continual improvement, San
Jacinto College determines appropriate thresholds
for enrollment by aligning with the targets outlined in
the Texas Higher Education Strategic Plan: 2015–2030
(60x30TX), whose goal is that by 2030, at least 60
percent of Texans ages 25-34 will have a certificate
or degree. Therefore, increasing enrollment is an
institutional goal, and the STEM Council’s outreach
efforts continue to help increase enrollment
across the district.
STEM RetentionThe STEM Council continues to identify and expand
student success strategies designed to improve
retention and success in STEM programs. On a national
level, there remains a disparity in the ratio of students
who enroll in STEM programs and the number of
students who graduate. According to the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 69 percent
of associate 60 degree students who entered STEM
fields between 2003 and 2009 had left these fields
by the spring semester of 2009. About half of these
students switched their major to a non-STEM field,
and the rest left STEM fields by exiting college before
graduating or earning a certificate. By developing
and enhancing these student success programs
and strategies, the STEM Council and STEM faculty
continue to see retention and success rates increase.
Fall ‘15 Fall ‘16 Fall ‘17 Fall ‘18 Fall ‘19 Spring ‘16 Spring ‘17 Spring ‘18 Spring ‘19
21,309 22,63323,948
24,376 25,553
21,02622,295
22,600 23,306
STU
DE
NT
SU
CC
ESS
AN
D R
ET
EN
TIO
N D
ATA
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STEM AwardsThe Associate of Science is designed for students who plan
to transfer to a four-year or upper-level college or university
and major in mathematics, one of the sciences (biology,
chemistry, geology, physics or related field), engineering,
computer science or a baccalaureate degree in a health
science field. The Associate of Science differs from an
Associate of Arts in the amount or level of mathematics and
science required for degree completion.
A minimum of 12 hours of mathematics, 12 hours in science,
12 hours in engineering or 12 hours in computer sciences
beyond the core requirement are required for the degree.
Students seeking an Associate of Science take science
courses designed for majors rather than courses for non-
majors. San Jacinto College offers the following associate of
science degrees:
• LIFE SCIENCES - Associate of Science (2LIFESCI)
• PHYSICAL SCIENCES - Associate of Science (2PHYSCI)
• MATHEMATICS - Associate of Science (2MATH)
• COMPUTER SCIENCE - Associate of Science (2COSCI)
• ENGINEERING - Associate of Science (2ENGINEER) In
2013, the Texas Legislature approved the use of Success
Points for determining part of the state funding for the
College. The Student Success Points Model Point assigns
additional points to students who complete a degree or
certificate in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math
(STEM) or allied health major.
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Number of AA and AS STEM Degrees
DISTRICT-WIDE STEM DEGREE TOTALS BY SCHOOL YEAR
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
461512
672707
2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Computer Programming Programmer, General 11020100
Engineering, General + Mechanical 14010100
Biology, Biological Sciences, Life Sciences, Biotechnology 26010100+30010100+26120100
Mathematics, General 27010100
Physical Sciences 40010100 40050100 + 40060100 + 40080100
100
200
300
400
500
DISTRICT-WIDE STEM GRADUATES BY CIP CODE
Number of Credentials
STU
DE
NT
SU
CC
ESS
AN
D R
ET
EN
TIO
N D
ATA
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Student Success InterventionsSupplemental Instruction (SI)Peer support and learning communities continue to be one of the most successful approaches for student success in San Jacinto College STEM programs. The College has implemented supplemental instruction (SI) programs in numerous STEM subjects that provide peer support by having students who succeeded in traditionally difficult academic courses (e.g., Chemistry, Biology, Physics...etc) help other students complete these courses. SI is a non-remedial approach that provides regular review sessions outside of class in which students work collaboratively by discussing readings, comparing notes, working together to predict test items, and sharing ideas for improving class material.
Courses selected for SI tend to be “gatekeeper” courses for first and second year students—generally those classes that have a 30 percent or higher proportion of students who receive a “D,” fail, or withdraw (the DFW rate) from the course. Out-of-class review sessions are led by “SI leaders,” students who previously took the class and did exceptionally well.
Currently, Supplemental Instruction is only offered at the South Campus, and the STEM Council is recommending that the SI program be implemented College-wide. According to the data from the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, the percent retention and success of those who visited at least one SI session are statistically significantly higher than those who did not attend an SI session at a 95 percent confidence level.
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Visit (Y/N) Fall 2018 Fall 2019
Enrolled Retention Enrolled Retention
N % N %
Visited SI 304 283 93.1 230 220 95.7
Did NOT Visit SI 1,645 1,404 85.3 1,334 1,138 85.3
Visit (Y/N) Spring 2018 Spring 2019
Enrolled Retention Enrolled Retention
N % N %
Visited SI 367 328 89.4 285 256 89.8
Did NOT Visit SI 1,713 1,383 80.7 1,647 1,343 81.5
Visit (Y/N) Fall 2018 Fall 2019
Enrolled Retention Enrolled Retention
N % N %
Visited SI 304 244 80.3 230 193 83.9
Did NOT Visit SI 1,645 1,129 68.6 1,334 878 65.8
Visit (Y/N) Spring 2018 Spring 2019
Enrolled Retention Enrolled Retention
N % N %
Visited SI 397 278 75.7 285 221 77.5
Did NOT Visit SI 1,713 1,011 59 1,647 1,012 61.4
*Source: Lp_Endcrse & Tutor Trac data
The percent success of those who visited at least one SI session are statistically significantly higher than those who did not attend an SI session at a 95 percent confidence level.
*Source: Lp_Endcrse & Tutor Trac data
The percent success of those who visited at least one SI session are statistically significantly higher than those who did not attend an SI session at a 95 percent confidence level.
RETENTION(GRADE A-F) BY TERM*
SOUTH CAMPUS ONLY
SUCCESS (GRADE A-C) BY TERM*
SOUTH CAMPUS ONLY
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sanjac.edu | 281-998-6150
The San Jacinto College District is committed to equal opportunity for all students, employees, and applicants without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship status, age,
disability, pregnancy, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, genetic information, marital status, or veteran status in accordance with applicable federal and state
laws. The following College official has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the College’s non-discrimination policies: Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, 4624 Fairmont Pkwy.,
Pasadena, TX 77504; 281-991-2659; [email protected].
