Catalyzing a transition for students: Supporting human resources for under-represented groups in Illinois

CHED 17

William J. F. Hunter, whunter@ilstu.edu1, Frackson Mumba, Frackson@siu.edu2, Peter Goff1, Jeffrey S. Carver3, and Charles B Abrams, cabrams@ccc.edu4. (1) Department of Chemistry, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61761, (2) Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 61790-4160, (3) Division of Natural Sciences, Illinois Valley Community College, Oglesby, IL 61348, (4) Department of Physical Science & Engineering, Truman College, 1145 West Wilson Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640
In the fall of 2001, a group of four faculty at ISU began to plan a way to help students from under-represented groups succeed in science at the bachelor's level. Nearly 40% of ISU students are transfer students and so these students are part of a larger systemic problem. In this paper, we will describe how it took three years of meetings, grant-writing, and scheming with halting steps of success and frustration, even with lots of moral support at many institutions, to grow into a program in which high school and community college students are enrolled in dual credit courses in biology and chemistry, and how those students are engaged in biology, chemistry and biotechnology research with university and college faculty.
 

Community College Programs Designed to Help Students Transition to Four-Year Colleges and Universities
8:30 AM-11:45 AM, Sunday, 10 September 2006 San Francisco Marriott -- Salon 8, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006