Program Focuses on STEM Majors and High-Risk Freshman Courses

Getting off to a good start in first-year science and math courses can greatly impact a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) major’s success.

To counter problems with the transition from high school to university-level course work, NSM implemented the Summer Bridge Program to prepare students for the first semester of calculus, biology and chemistry. Funding for the program came from the National Science Foundation with matching from the University of Houston and additional support from ConocoPhillips.

“We’ve found over the years that students who are STEM majors run into difficulty in required courses in their first year,” said John Hardy, NSM’s associate dean for student success. “In these courses, typically biology, calculus and chemistry, a large percentage of students receive a D, an F, or withdraw.”

Introduction to University Courses

Yi-Kai Lin (left), chemistry workshop facilitator, assists Luis Sanchez and Jannesha Lee during the Summer Bridge Program.The nine-week program ran from June 10 to August 5. Fifty-four students participated, giving up their summer to spend Monday through Friday getting introduced to the coursework they would be taking in the fall.

“We had good participation across the STEM fields. Sixty-three percent of the students were NSM majors and the rest were engineering or technology majors,” Hardy said.

The coursework was divided between math in the morning and science in the afternoon. Participants covered pre-calculus and biology in the first half of the summer followed by calculus and chemistry in the second half.

“Lectures were taught by faculty members followed by workshops led by advanced undergraduates in those areas,” Hardy said. “In workshops, the upperclassman facilitators helped students work on practice problems and group discussions planned by the faculty member.”

Skills for Success

Summer Bridge students also learned time management, how to work in groups and how to study subject matter. Tutoring was also available.

Jannesha Lee, a biology major who graduated from North Forest High School in Houston, credits the program for giving her a head start on the fall semester. “Summer Bridge taught me helpful skills for studying and being prepared. When classes started in the fall, I felt ready, prepared and ahead,” she said.

For Luis Sanchez, the program was an opportunity too good to pass up. “Summer Bridge didn’t just benefit me; it was a huge help to all who participated,” said Sanchez, a biochemistry major and graduate of South Texas High School for Health Professions in the Rio Grande Valley. “The difference between high school and college is enormous, and Summer Bridge gave me the proper tools to maintain my footing during the transition.”

Students received a $3,000 stipend to cover tuition and fees for a one semester credit hour course and to help offset the loss of summer income. All 54 students are enrolled in STEM majors at UH this fall.

Plans for Future

“Before we finalize plans for summer 2014, we’ll look at the academic records of the 54 participants and see how they fared this fall in calculus, biology and chemistry,” Hardy said.

The academic outcome of the 2013 participants will help Hardy and organizers determine what changes would be best in terms of the focus of the courses and the size of the program. Information on Summer Bridge 2014 will be available in February.

- Kathy Major, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics