Author(s):
Community colleges contain an untapped source of diverse and talented students. The students tend to be local, non-traditional, socio-economically disadvantaged, first-generation, and many are working and/or raising families while going to college. At Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), we have created paid, non-residential research experiences for regional community college students with the goal to increase and sustain the inclusion of these students into the marine science education and research community. By participating in authentic research experiences, students gain a better understanding of professional practices that complement classroom learning and improve the ability to think critically, work independently, communicate effectively, do research, and develop a professional identity. Students are exposed to STEM career paths and opportunities. We offer a semester program with a Blue Economy themed short course and a research experience. Our summer program includes a larger research component, a short course on Ocean Sciences, several cohort activities (seminars, networking, data presentations), and mentoring on transitioning to 4-year colleges. Our evaluations indicate that the highest impact on building a STEM identity and a desire to transfer to a 4-year college pursuing a career in STEM comes from being an integral part of an inclusive and supportive research lab community. To date, most of our summer participants have graduated from their community college and transferred to a 4-year college. All students that enrolled at a 4-year college remain enrolled or have graduated with a STEM degree, documenting a successful alternative to the typical residential summer undergraduate programs for community college students.
