Situating Second-Year Success: Understanding Second-Year STEM Experiences at a Liberal Arts College.

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Student Success
• Higher Education

Background:

• Second-year students face unique challenges impacting persistence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
• Underperformance in intermediate-level science courses is particularly noted among students of color (SOC) and first-generation (FG) students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a program aimed at improving student success and belonging in intermediate STEM courses.
• To address the specific challenges faced by SOC and FG students in STEM fields.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a multi-faceted support program including peer mentoring, retreats, and academic resources.
• Employed survey measures for perceptions and attitudes, alongside qualitative methods to assess strategy impact.
• Analyzed registration and transcript data to track student performance before and during the program.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in success rates for SOC and FG students in 200-level biology and chemistry courses were observed.
• Despite improvements, the success rates for SOC and FG students remained lower than the overall average for 200-level science courses.
• Student attitude measures indicated a high level of belongingness and perceived support during the program.

Conclusions:

• Targeted support strategies can enhance the success and belonging of underrepresented students in STEM.
• Further research into metacognitive strategies and academic self-awareness may offer additional avenues for improving STEM persistence.
• Addressing systemic disparities requires ongoing program development and evaluation.