Louis Stokes New STEM Pathways Implementation-Only Alliance: The Tennessee Valley Tri-State LSAMP Alliance-Creating a Pathway of Success for General STEM Education

The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program assists universities and colleges in their efforts to significantly increase the numbers of students matriculating into and successfully completing high quality degree programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in order to graduate a competitive STEM workforce. Particular emphasis is placed on transforming undergraduate STEM education through innovative, evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies and relevant educational experiences. These strategies facilitate the production of well-prepared students, highly qualified and motivated to pursue graduate education or careers in STEM. The need for cultivating STEM talent has been well established. For the United States to remain globally competitive, it is vital that it taps into the talent of all its citizens and provides exceptional educational preparedness in STEM areas that underpin the knowledge-based economy. The Tennessee Valley Tri-State STEM Pathways Implementation-Only (SPIO) Alliance, under the leadership of the University of North Alabama (UNA), includes the University of Tennessee Martin (UTM), Mississippi University for Women (MUW), and Northwest-Shoals Community College (NW-SCC). The institutions are located in NSF's Established Programs to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) jurisdictions. Resulting from a 2020 LSAMP planning award, the project's objective is designed to execute a pathway specifically devised to improve general STEM education outcomes for students matriculating in undergraduate studies. Activities include creating and implementing an annual Summer Bridge Program for incoming Scholars focused on basic math preparation and basic science skills, an annual Alliance-wide symposium, practical skills development, peer tutoring, and social supports. Dedicated access to a cohort of STEM Faculty mentors at each of our sites will promote and support student engagement in research activities. In the long-term, the alliance has an unprecedented opportunity to infuse regional and national job markets with trained STEM professionals from rural backgrounds. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.