Science Bound: A Success Story for STEM Education

At the 2005 Frontiers in Education Conference, members of Purdue University and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) presented the results of the first year of the Purdue Science Bound program. Science Bound was created to give young people from minority and low SES households an opportunity to pursue STEM careers in college. In cooperation with the urban Indianapolis Public School (IPS) system, candidate students with aptitude in math and science were selected and given the opportunity to participate in summer camps, enrichment activities, after school projects, and mentoring programs aimed at increasing their likelihood of acceptance to, and success in, collegiate STEM programs. Analysis of summer camp results has shown that introduction of pre-engineering concepts, and exposing technology and scientific method to secondary school students can significantly enhance problem solving skills and prepare them for collegiate STEM careers. Researchers were also pleased to see that the pre-engineering curriculum modules help participating students improve understanding of associated mathematical concepts. The Science Bound program is now ten years old, and the original cohort of high school freshmen are graduating from college. This paper will examine the success of the program and provide insights into successful elements for STEM enrichment programs and approaches for engaging under-represented students in STEM careers.