Early Undergraduate Research Experiences for Persistence and Belonging

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Belonging, Mattering, and a Sense of Community

Abstract

Typical undergraduate research experiences are competitive based on student merit, specialized based on underrepresented status, or relationship specific. They also tend to involve primarily upper level students. While programs that involve students early in their undergraduate careers (freshman and sophomores) appear to be increasing, they frequently target high achieving students.The Undergraduate Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (UR-STEM) program utilizes an open application and prioritized selection model to include students at-risk of leaving a STEM major. We use a concurrent triangulation mixed methods approach to examine the continued impact of the UR-STEM program since the program was fully institutionalized under the university STEM center.

Authors

• Ashley R Vaughn, Northern Kentucky University

• Cori Henderson, Northern Kentucky University

• Bethany Bowling, Northern Kentucky University

• Madhura Kulkarni

• Ellen Hokannen, Northern Kentucky University