Education
Community College STEM Transfer Pathway logic model
Of first-time students who declare a STEM major at the college, only 19% transfer to a four-year institution within 6 years, compared with 31% across all majors. Students stall in gateway math and chemistry and receive little transfer advising before their final term.
Inputs
- Articulation agreements with 2 public universities guaranteeing junior standing in 6 STEM majors
- 1.0 FTE transfer success coach and faculty mentors in math, biology, chemistry and engineering
- Scholarship pool for 30 low-income students per year
- Embedded tutoring for gateway courses
Activities
- Enroll declared STEM majors in a cohort with a shared first-year schedule
- Embed peer tutors in College Algebra, Calculus I and General Chemistry I
- Require transfer advising and a degree map by the end of the second term
- Run campus visits and summer research shadowing at partner universities
Outputs
- 150 STEM students enrolled in the cohort model each year
- 90 scholarships of up to $5,200 awarded each year
- 1,400 embedded tutoring sessions delivered per term
- 100% of cohort students complete a transfer degree map by term 2
Short-term outcomes
- Gateway math pass rate for cohort students rises from 54% to 68%
- Fall-to-fall retention of cohort students reaches 72%
Intermediate outcomes
- Three-year associate degree completion among cohort students reaches 38%
- Transfer to a four-year STEM program within 4 years reaches 30%
Long-term impact
- Increased bachelor's degree attainment in STEM among the college's low-income students
- Regional employers gain more STEM graduates from local pathways
Indicators and data sources
| Indicator | Source | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer and bachelor's completion at any institution | National Student Clearinghouse StudentTracker | Twice yearly |
| Gateway course pass rate (C or better) | College student information system | Each term |
| Fall-to-fall retention and 3-year graduation | Institutional research office and IPEDS submissions | Annual |
| Scholarship recipient persistence | Financial aid office records | Each term |
Assumptions
- Partner universities honor the articulation agreements without added course requirements
- Students can reduce work hours when scholarship support is in place
Programs this model suits
- NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM)
- NSF Advanced Technological Education (ATE) for technician pathways
- U.S. Department of Education TRIO Student Support Services
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