EAST LANSING, Mich. — A Michigan State University scholar will use a $1 million federal grant to create a program designed to better prepare high-schoolers for technical careers by spurring interest in science, technology, engineering and math courses, or STEM.
It’s not unusual today to find students aspiring to become forensic scientists and other high-profile professionals based on what they learn from TV shows and movies, said Barbara Schneider, MSU’s John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Education.
The challenge, Schneider said, is redirecting their interest to realistic careers such as microbiology where they learn what microbiologists do and what types of education and extracurricular experiences are needed to pursue such an occupation.
With the National Science Foundation grant, Schneider will develop a school-wide model to improve students’ understanding of the educational requirements for a given career path and help them develop the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors to achieve that objective. While other university-run programs have focused on increasing college-attendance rates of students from underrepresented groups, Schneider’s is likely the first to encompass all students in a school.
“The whole-school design allows for the inclusion of students who may not have identified with a career in STEM due to lack of information and exposure,” she said. “Research shows that low-income and underrepresented groups tend to be unfamiliar with STEM job opportunities and the educational requirements needed to attain that goal.”
The National Science Board recently identified a key challenge facing the development of a qualified STEM work force as a lack of consensus among schools, parents, students and the community regarding the importance of STEM.
Schneider and colleagues will develop the program at a rural school and an urban school. Both mid-Michigan schools are classified as economically disadvantaged and have lower-than-expected rates of students going to college.
Specifically, the three-year program involves:
- Three types of mentors for the high-school students: undergraduates at MSU, graduate students at MSU and adult volunteers. Schneider said mentoring can be invaluable for disadvantaged youth who have limited exposure to the college-application process, life experiences at college and career opportunities.
- Course counseling and advising. Ninth-graders will work with MSU program teams to design a four-year high school plan that is consistent with college entrance requirements and focuses heavily on math and science.
- Help in preparing for college entrance exams, including receiving practice test questions and vocabulary enrichment materials.
- Assistance with the college admission process, from financial planning to pursuing scholarships.
- Resources for teachers, principals and guidance counselors for their role in better preparing students for success in the STEM fields.
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