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Outcomes and Processes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program: STEM PhD Completion, Sense of Community, Perceived Program
Kenneth I Maton1, Tiffany S Beason2, Surbhi Godsay2
1Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250 maton@umbc.edu.
CBE Life Sciences Education
|September 3, 2016
Summary
The Meyerhoff Scholars Program significantly increases STEM PhD completion for African-American students. Perceived program benefits, stemming from a strong sense of community, are key to this success.
Area of Science:
- STEM Education
- Higher Education
- Sociology of Education
Background:
- The Meyerhoff Scholars Program at UMBC is a proven intervention for underrepresented minority (URM) students.
- Previous studies show Meyerhoff students are more likely to enter STEM PhD programs.
- This study examines PhD completion rates and mediating factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To extend previous research by examining STEM PhD completion rates for Meyerhoff Scholars Program participants.
- To investigate the mechanisms through which the program influences student success.
- To test the mediating role of perceived program benefit in the relationship between sense of community and student outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Compared STEM PhD completion rates of 479 Meyerhoff students with 249 comparison students across 16 cohorts.
- Study 2: Analyzed data from 109 students (Cohorts 22-25) to test mediation hypotheses.
- Statistical analyses were used to examine PhD completion and mediation effects.
Main Results:
- African-American Meyerhoff students were 4.8 times more likely to complete STEM PhDs than comparison students.
- Perceived program benefit fully mediated the relationship between sense of community and science identity/research self-efficacy.
- Sense of community at Summer Bridge positively impacted perceived program benefit, leading to higher science identity and research self-efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive STEM intervention programs like Meyerhoff can significantly enhance PhD completion rates.
- Sense of community and perceived program benefits are crucial mechanisms driving student success in STEM.
- Interventions should focus on fostering community and highlighting program value to support URM students in STEM.
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