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“SPARC”ing STEM Identity at a Community College

Friday, November 4, 2022

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Location: Conference Theater

Co-Presenter(s)

Melissa Armstrong

SPARC Program Director and Chemistry Faculty
Gaston College
Dallas, North Carolina, United States

Presenter(s)

Dr. Heather Woodson (she/her/hers)

Vice President Of Academic Affairs
Gaston College
Dallas, North Carolina, United States
Susan Whittemore (she/her/hers)

Biology Faculty
Gaston College
Dallas, North Carolina, United States
Patricia J. Williams (she/her/hers)

Associate Dean, Arts and Sciences
Gaston College
Dallas, North Carolina, United States

Program Abstract: Research has clearly shown that activities that help students build their STEM identity are critical to the success of minority and female students. Building a student’s academic cultural capital depends on colleges and universities providing social supports such as mentoring, focused advising, and the development of the student’s STEM identity. This is particularly true at community colleges where the students encounter many obstacles to successfully transfer into a four-year STEM program. Gaston College, part of the North Carolina Community College System, has been working since 2009 to help create opportunities and supports that encourage STEM identity building to help increase student retention in STEM fields at the community college and beyond. This presentation will guide the participant through the benefits of developing a cohort-model in which students received mentoring, focused advising, STEM identity-forming experiences, and undergraduate research opportunities.