UNDER REPRESENTED

in

GEOSCIENCE

African American

Non-traditional Students

Veterans

Dual Enrolled

GED Awardees

First Generation

Hispanics

Women

Recruiting Challenges in Geosciences in the 2-year College Environment –

Heidi J. L. Lannon

In recognition of Geosciences as a found major Santa Fe College,

the University of Florida Center for Remote Sensing and the Orlando

Science Center partnered in the National Science Foundation funded

Geoscience Engagement and Outreach (GEO) Program. The

objective is to recruit, retain and mentor students from

underrepresented groups, who are nonscience oriented, from

diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and age groups, and have

parents who do not hold a bachelor's degree.

The GEO program supports a cohort of two-year college students

from underrepresented populations. Activities include academic

advising; faculty mentored research in the geoscience sub-

disciplines of meteorology, soil hydrology, and STEM education; and

skill-building for careers to produce graduates prepared for the

expectations of future employers.

Santa Fe College is an open-access academic environment,

accepting students with a high school diploma or equivalent. While

diverse in ability and backgrounds, students in 2-year environments

do not have organized affiliations, may have challenging family or

employment situations and lack the ability to be able to participate

in structured programs. Recruitment and retention of students is

achieved through authentic geoscience research experiences with

University of Florida faculty integrated with classroom work and

practical applications in the form of a paid summer internship at the

Orlando Science Center.

Abstract

Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment Goal:

Caption

University of Florida

MENTOR –Jasmeet

Judge, Soil Hydrology

University of Florida

MENTOR –CoreneMatyas,

Meteorology

College Demographics

Cohort 1 Majors

GEOSCIENCES

Business

Biological Sciences, Pre Med

Engineering

Meteorology

Aeronautical

Engineering

Geology

Anthropology

General Studies

Agriculture, Animal Sciences

References

Blackwell, E., & Pinder, P. J. (2014). What are the motivational factors of first generation minority college students who

overcome their family history to pursue higher education?. College Student Journal, 48(1), 45-56.

Ceci, S. J., Ginther, D. K., Kahn, S., & Williams, W. M. (2015). Women in science: the path to progress. Scientific

American Mind, 26(1), 62-69.

Hirst, R. A., Bolduc, G., Liotta, L., & Packard, B. W. (2014). Cultivating the STEM Transfer Pathway and Capacity for

Research: A Partnership Between a Community College and a 4-Year College. Journal Of College Science Teaching,

43(4), 12-17.

Holmes, M. A., & O’Connell, S. (2005). Where are the Women Geoscience Professors?. NSF/AWG Foundation.

Kim, K., Sharma, P., Land, S., & Furlong, K. (2013). Effects of Active Learning on Enhancing Student Critical Thinking in

an Undergraduate General Science Course. Innovative Higher Education, 38(3), 223-235. doi:10.1007/s10755-012-

9236-x

Levine, R., González, R., Cole, S., Fuhrman, M., & Floch, K. C. L. (2007). The Geoscience Pipeline: A Conceptual

Framework. Journal of Geoscience Education, 55(6), 458.

Libarkin, J. C., & Anderson, S. (2005). Assessment of learning in entry-level geoscience courses: Results from the

Geoscience Concept Inventory. Journal of Geoscience Education, 53(4), 394–401.

Linn, M. C., Palmer, E., Baranger, A., Gerard, E., & Stone, E. (2015). Undergraduate research experiences: Impacts

and opportunities. Science, 347(6222), 1261757. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1261757

O’Connell, S., & Holmes, M. A. (2011). Obstacles to the recruitment of minorities into the geosciences: A call to action .

GSA Today, 21(6), 52–54. http://doi.org/10.1130/G105GW.1

Santa Fe College Honors

54.6% Female 60.2% Female

17% African American 4.9% African American

34% African American 1st Generation

30% 1st Generation in College

>6% Hispanic 10.4% Hispanic

25 yrs Average age 6% Over 25 years

9% Over 40 years 3% Veterans

No geoscience majors

Recruiting Successes

Veterans –14%

Non-Traditional –

57%

Dual Enrolled –14%

GED Awardees – 14%

First Generation –

85%

Hispanics -14%

African American

Males -14%

Women -28%

• Alternate cohort

students selected

• Work with University

of Florida mentors

• Participate in

seminar and classes

• Orlando Science

Center engagement

activities not

guaranteed

• Geosciences

mentoring

• Objective of transfer

to geosciences

bachelor’s program

• May apply for

subsequent cohorts.

Cohort Retention

Reach 50 incoming freshmen. Santa Fe College is an open-

access academic environment, accepting students who have

competed a high school diploma or equivalent. While diverse

in ability and backgrounds, students in 2-year environments

do not have organized affiliations, may have challenging

family or employment situations and lack the ability to

participate in the proposed internship.

Recruiting Tool Recruitment Target

Santa Fe College Advising Required of all students

Santa Fe College Orientation Required, in person or online

Career Services Center Available to all students

60 Student Organizations Available to all students

Student Ambassadors Available to all students

Santa Fe College Convocation by President Faculty and staff, announcements each semester

College social media – Website, Facebook,

Twitter, Santa Fe Today

Available to all faculty, staff and students

College Website - rotating banner Available to all faculty, staff and students

GEO project alumni - peer mentoring future

cohort recruitment, retention

Peer & future cohorts, all students

Veterans and Military Success Services Office Veterans, underrepresented minorities, first generation,

nontraditional veteran, who benefit from personalized

mentoring.

Santa Fe College Pathways to Persistence Non-traditional students, links faculty mentors with GED

recipients

Santa Fe College Student Support Services First generation and low-income students

Santa Fe College My Brother’s Keeper African American Males - faculty/student mentoring, potential

for recruitment

Honors orientation, newsletter, webpage, Phi

Theta Kappa Honors Society

Honors students

Santa Fe College Upward Bound Program, U.S.

Department of Education

Underrepresented high school students from low-income

families and from families in which neither parent holds a

bachelor's degree

High School Teachers as role models Students with no higher education access, awareness or peer

groups

High School Classes Advanced Placement Geography and International

Baccalaureate Environmental Science

Florida Geographic Alliance –information,

training clearinghouse

Statewide teachers and faculty

Florida Society of Geographers – professional

organization

Faculty, teachers, Statewide representation

Apply here…