Summer Program for Transitioning STEM Minority Students from Two-year to Four-year College Degrees

In this paper we describe a summer program designed to support institution‒wide improvements in community college students’ transfer and attainment of a baccalaureate degree. The program helps community college students transfer to a four-year institution by addressing the opportunities and challenges for students who want to pursue a baccalaureate degree. It encourages academically and economically disadvantaged students as well as minority students, Hispanic-American, Native American, and African-American, to continue their education beyond community college. The program includes academic tutoring and comprehensive advising, 3-credit university-level course, competitive stipend, and room/meals. Students live on the University campus while completing an undergraduate research internship with a faculty member and graduate students. The program has achieved a success transfer rate of over 70% in the past years, and has received several awards including the ABET 2010 Claire L. Felbinger Award for Diversity, for the extraordinary success in achieving or facilitating diversity and inclusiveness in the technological segments of our society.