Principal Investigator: John Chikwem
CoPrincipal Investigator(s): Derrick Swinton
Organization: Lincoln University

Abstract:
Lincoln University’s implementation project – Lincoln’s Excellent Academic Program in Science: Forward March – consolidates and sustains the efforts of previous awards to significantly increase the pool of minority students pursuing degrees and careers in the sciences. The goals of this project are: 1) to improve students’ learning and study skills and their commitment to succeed in college, and thereby increase the retention and graduation rates of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) majors; 2) to enhance students’ preparation and readiness for professional and graduate school; 3) to increase the STEM research capacity at Lincoln University; and 4) to increase the recruitment of STEM majors at Lincoln University.

These goals will be realized through consolidating the Supplemental Instruction program for high risk STEM courses, institutionalizing a STEM undergraduate research program, increasing the number of faculty with research grants, increasing the number of STEM graduates accepted to graduate and professional schools, and increasing the number of students enrolled and retained in STEM programs.

The project emphasizes two key activities – improved retention in STEM gate-keeping and bottleneck courses and integration of student research and other active-learning opportunities into the STEM curriculum. The project strives to provide a model of educating minority students in the sciences.