Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Changing Minds:
The Meyerhoff Scholarship Program at UMBC
LaMont F. Toliver
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
Duke University School of Nursing: Institutionalizing success on campus: Understanding what works.”
January 19, 2011
OUTLINE
1. University Profile2. Program Overview3. Before and After4. What we have learned5. Strategies of Retention6. Final Thoughts7. Acknowledgments8. Q & A
University Profile Midsize public university - Founded in 1966 Fall 2010 Enrollment: 12,870 Undergraduates: 9,947 and Graduates
2,923 Faculty: 480 Full-time, 250 Part-time Staff: 1,128 Full-time enrollment: 9,656 Part-time
enrollment: 3,214 Minority enrollment (Black 16.5%, Asian
21.2%, Hispanic 4% Average SAT (M & V), top quartile: 1362 41% of students in STEM fields
To provide the necessary academic advising, social and moral support, encouragement, and enrichment experiences that enable a diverse group of undergraduate students to succeed in the STEM fields, prepare them for terminal degrees in these areas, and prepare them to address and combat the underrepresentation in the STEM fields.
Program Mission
Program Components• Recruitment• Financial Aid• Summer Bridge Program• Tutoring• Mentoring• Summer Research Internships• Faculty Involvement and Commitment• Peer Study Groups• Program Values• Sense of Community• Personal Advisement & Counseling
Factors that impede academic success
• Low expectations • Academic and cultural isolation• Motivation and performance
vulnerability in the face of negative stereotypes
• Peers not supportive of academic success
• Inadequate advising• Lack of exposure to practical
applications• Inadequate performance in critical
science courses
Program Growth
0500
1000150020002500
Cohort
Nom
inat
ions
Nominations 60 353 921 1459 2235 2490 2311 2011Applications 35 95 213 329 451 500 502 527Cohort Size 19 32 41 45 69 50 57 ?
M1 M5 M10 M15 M20 M21 M22 M23
African Am.103
Hispanic10
Caucasian50 Asian
45
American Indian1
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Afric
an A
m.
Hisp
anic
Cauc
asia
n
Asia
nAm
eric
an In
dian
Totals
AY 10-11 Demographics (n=227)
BEFORE MEYERHOFF
1. UMBC graduated fewer than 18 African-American STEM majors per year
2. Typically, fewer than five of these students graduated with a grade point average above 3.0 (on a 1 to 4 scale)
3. Consistent with achievement levels observed at other institutions.
“IT TAKES AN ENTIRE UNIVERSITY. . .”
Staff
Administration
Faculty
ADMINISTRATIONInstitutionalCommitment
Financial Support
Mission/Vision
StrategicPlanning
FACULTYAdvising/
Counseling
Mentoring
Research Experience
Recruitment
STAFF
Soft Skills
Community/Support
Recruitment
ProgramValues
INDICATORS OF SUCCESS1. Similar grades and graduation rates.
But Meyerhoff students were twice as likely to earn a STEM BS/BA degree
2. 5.3 times more likely to enroll in post-college graduate study
3. Meyerhoff students twice as likely to earn STEM BS degrees as Asian, Caucasian, and non-Meyerhoff African-American students with similar preparation and interests1
AFTER MEYERHOFF (I)
1. The average GPA of all African American STEM graduates has increased from 2.70 in 1989 to 3.21 in 2005 (due primarily to the high achievement of the Meyerhoff Scholars (average graduating GPA = 3.42 ± 0.12)
2. The average GPA of Caucasian STEM graduates has remained relatively unchanged (3.17 ± 0.05)
3. Simultaneous increase in STEM participation among UMBC minority students who are not in the Meyerhoff Program
4. UMBC is the only institution in the USM that does not have an achievement gap. AA students are retained and graduate at a higher rate than their Asian and Caucasian counterparts.
AFTER MEYERHOFF (II)
5. The number of African-American undergraduates majoring in STEM areas has increased more than sevenfold since 1985 whereas overall African-American enrollment increased 1.4-fold
6. Overall and S&E enrollments among Latino students have also grown (three and five fold, respectively) since 1985
7. The number of Caucasian S&E majors also increased during this time period (from 710 to 1287 students, 1.8-fold) at a rate greater than that of total undergraduate enrollment (from 7914 to 9406 students, 1.2-fold).
Students affiliated with learning communities are more likely to be successful and take ownership of their academic experience and success.
A Bridge program should be more than just academic classes, workshops, and lectures. A bridge program also should help “demystify” the Academy and the Professoriate (we fear that which we do not know).
Every aspect of the program should be an integral part of the fabric of the university. No program can stand alone and have an expectation of success.
All components of the program should lend itself to the mission and purpose of the university – academic success and personal growth.
We can neither create nor sustain a successful program with lukewarm enthusiasm from any major department or personnel from the university.
What We Have Learned?
Change in Campus Culture: Inclusive Excellence
From devaluing to valuing minority students
“In the past, a student in your class who was Black was likely not to do well. The Meyerhoff Program changed that almost immediately. As soon as Meyerhoff students started earning A’s…becoming very insistent on going into research programs and being successful, all of a sudden you couldn’t make that assumption. Looking for success rather than failure [in your Black students]. That’s a big change. That’s a big institutional change. That happened in my department and it happened throughout the institution.” (Biology Department Faculty Member)
FINALLY – SUCCESS DOES NOT JUST HAPPEN
• Faculty who risk more than others think is safe
• Staff who care more than others think is wise
• Administrators who dare more than others think is practical
• Students who dream more than others think is possible
Acknowledgements Robert & Jane Meyerhoff Freeman Hrabowski, PhD UMBC Community Meyerhoff Staff Meyerhoff Scholars
CONTACT INFORMATION
LaMont F. [email protected]
410.455.3139 office410.455.1281 fax
www.umbc.edu/meyerhoff
