At the recent 2024 S-STEM Scholars & PI Meeting in Chicago, scholars and researchers from the Community College S-STEM Network (CCSN), one of the research and dissemination S-STEM hubs funded by NSF, had the opportunity to facilitate a networking session with community college S-STEM scholars. We had three goals for the session:
- Provide a space for community college students to meet and network with fellow S-STEM Scholars,
- Generate ideas to ensure the CCSN centers future research on community college student success in STEM pathways, and
- Solicit input from community college S-STEM Scholars who want to participate in the CCSN Student Leadership Advisory Group and engage in other advisory roles.
A guiding principle of our collective work in the CCSN is to center student voice, doing and disseminating research of value to community college students that centers their needs and experiences.
We settled on a moderated dialogue format to facilitate discussion among the S-STEM scholars. After introducing ourselves and sharing a little about the work of CCSN, we asked the scholars to introduce themselves to their table mates and others around the room. Students shared their college, their STEM major, and why they decided to attend our session. Approximately 40 students attended, representing about 30 institutions, mostly community colleges.
After introductions, the students worked with others at their tables to answer the following three questions:
- What works in their S-STEM programs and more generally in community college STEM education?
- What challenges or opportunities do they see in their own S-STEM program or with navigating STEM pathways?
- What advice might they give to future students?
A member of our team supported students’ dialogue at each table, asking probing questions and ensuring everyone had an opportunity to give input. Major points were written on large sticky pads and posted on the walls where students indicated their top priorities with stickers. What emerged was a fascinating data corpus that points the CCSN in future research directions aligned with student needs. In this brief space we’ll highlight just a few.
What S-STEM Scholars Tell Us About their College Experiences
Students pointed to the financial security that S-STEM scholarships provide, but also to the challenges they feel in “balancing everything, stress, and burnout.” Even with the added financial resources of an S-STEM scholarship, a high priority for many students was achieving a more satisfactory work-life balance. Related to this, several students wanted to know more about resources their institutions dedicate to student services. Most students had a general understanding that community colleges dedicate resources to support their success, but they didn’t always know where to find them or how to use them effectively.
These observations converge well with what we’re hearing in our deep-dive case study of the S-STEM program at Everett Community College (EvCC), one of CCSN’s partner community colleges in Washington state. Like the students in our breakout, students at EvCC also share the relief that S-STEM scholarships bring, allowing them to work less hours and focus more on academics as they attempt to navigate their various responsibilities.
Another theme that emerged in our breakout session with students was the sense of belonging they feel as S-STEM scholars. We heard robust discussions at our tables about various networking activities, workshops, and events that the S-STEM scholars value. Students advised new S-STEM scholars to reach out, build community, and avail themselves of all the various activities, supports, and opportunities their local S-STEM programs offer.
The S-STEM scholars also helped pinpoint future research to improve STEM education and student outcomes. Top of their list was financial support and literacy, which again echoes what we’ve learned in our case study of EvCC. The S-STEM scholars at EvCC report difficulties they’ve faced with receiving financial disbursements in a timely manner, with administrators and faculty members similarly frustrated with understanding financial aid rules and how to help students navigate the process. Both the S-STEM scholars and faculty seem to spend a considerable amount of time and effort on financial aid management. S-STEM scholars at EvCC discussed the importance of financial literacy and the need for overlapping and complimentary funding and academic support sources.
Another area identified by S-STEM scholars was the difficulty of navigating transfer pathways in STEM, including learning various STEM requirements and academic nuances. Students felt they didn’t know everything they should regarding transfer and that finding resources was sometimes a challenge. Transfer application workshops offered by some S-STEM programs were valuable but the transfer application process remained time-consuming, adding to the stress some students felt.
CCSN’s Take-Away
For our CCSN team, the breakout session reiterated the importance in creating student-centered research and practice in STEM education. Hearing students voice their lived experiences as S-STEM scholars will be invaluable to shaping the CCSN’s future research agenda. As a network we encourage community college STEM students and leaders to engage in these conversations to further drive change on college campuses. We invite community college S-STEM scholars, faculty, and administrators to participate in future sessions or connect with the CCSN to share their insights.
We also encourage S-STEM scholars to get involved in future CCSN student leadership opportunities.
