Principles and Practices Fostering Inclusive Excellence: Lessons from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Capstone...

Area of Science:

• Higher Education
• STEM Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Best-practices pedagogy in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) aims for inclusive excellence and student persistence.
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute's (HHMI) 2012 Capstone competition identified 11 institutions with successful inclusivity initiatives.
• These institutions varied in mission, student demographics, and location, offering diverse models for STEM education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe principles of inclusivity and their implementation across 11 diverse undergraduate institutions.
• To identify common elements that foster persistence in STEM, especially for underrepresented students.
• To ground these program elements in learning theory and provide implementation examples.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of inclusivity principles and common program elements across 11 award-winning institutions.
• Description of institutional contexts and implementation strategies for STEM persistence programs.
• Examination of common assessment approaches used to inform programming and gain stakeholder buy-in.

Main Results:

• Common elements for fostering STEM persistence include mentoring, research experiences, quantitative skills development, and bridge programs.
• These elements were implemented within diverse institutional contexts, demonstrating adaptability.
• Assessment approaches often informed programming adjustments and secured stakeholder support.

Conclusions:

• A set of common elements can effectively promote inclusive excellence and student persistence in STEM.
• Lessons learned from these institutions can guide other higher education efforts to increase access and retention in STEM.
• Shared experiences and resources can support broader adoption of effective inclusivity strategies in STEM education.