Promoting Undergraduate STEM Education at a Historically Black College and University through Research Experience

Diversification of our country's science talent pool is critically needed and can only be achieved by stimulating interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. However, motivating, increasing the number, improving retention rates, and graduation rates of underrepresented minority (URM) students in STEM disciplines continue to be a major challenge and of active pedagogical interest to historically black colleges and universities (HBCU). Early involvement of URM students in research is a viable strategy to excite minority students in STEM areas. This work reported the use of the Raising Achievement in Mathematics and Science (RAMS) scholar and Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) programs at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) as a strategy for promoting and stimulating the interest of URM students in STEM education at a HBCU institution. The influence of the RAMS scholar and SURE programs on the retention rate and STEM education of the URM students was examined. The experience of RAMS scholars and SURE participants was also evaluated by administering a survey to the participants upon completion of the program. The retention rates of the RAMS scholars and SURE participants were better than that of non-RAMS scholars or non-SURE participants. The analysis of the survey results indicated that the RAMS scholar and SURE programs clearly generated URM student excitement, while promoting critical thinking, teamwork, and leadership skills. Moreover, RAMS. scholars and SURE participants particularly enjoyed other program enrichment activities, including professional development seminars and social activities as well as poster and oral presentations at regional and national conferences.