Information About STEM

Profile

The STEM: Steps Toward Exhibiting Mastery Program is funded by the State of Michigan Workforce Development Agency (formerly known as Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth) King-Chávez-Parks Initiative 4S (Select Student Support Services) Competitive Grant and the Division of Multicultural Affairs. The program is designed to promote student success through increased acceptance rates into undergraduate students' intended majors and increased college graduation rates of students. Our target population includes WMU undergraduate students who have not declared a major or be admitted into their intended major, are federal financial aid eligible, and are first generation college students.

We provide free one-on-one tutoring for many lower-level courses and select upper-level courses in various subject areas. In addition to tutoring, we provide students academic support through peer mentoring, counseling, multicultural activities, educational seminars, career and graduate school planning, and other resources to enhance their education and college experience, as well as to enable them to achieve a post-secondary degree.

Updated: February 21, 2013




Fast Facts

 

2011-12

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

Total Number of Participants Served

Spring: 167
Summer I: 155
Total: 274

 

 

 

 

Total Number of Peer Mentors

Spring: 27
Summer I: 26

 

 

 

 

Total Number of Meetings

2,772

 

 

 

 

Average Number of Meetings Per Participant Per Week

4.3

 

 

 

 

Duration of Meetings (Hours)

4,158

 

 

 

 

Total Number of Hours Worked By Peer Mentor

Fall: 2,296.50
Spring: 3,472.87

 

 

 

 

Average Number of Hours Worked Per Peer Mentor Per Week

Fall: 14.15
Spring 14.47

 

 

 

 

Total Number of Returning Participants from Previous Year

66

 

 

 

 

Percentage of Returning Participants from Previous Year

24%

 

 

 

 

Total Number of Individualized Success Plans (ISPs) Completed

276

 

 

 

 

Total Participants w/ GPA That Increased

159

 

 

 

 

Percentage of Participants w/ GPA That Increased

58%

 

 

 

 


 

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

Total Number of Participants Served

Spring: 8
Summer I: 9
Summer II: 6
Total: 20

Fall: 176
Spring: 112
Summer I: 12
Summer II: 12
Total: 280

Fall: 266
Spring: 277
Summer I: 25
Summer II: 15
Total: 302

Fall: 159
Spring: 150
Summer I: 18
Summer II: 17
Total: 230

Fall: 231
Spring: 178
Summer I: 35
Summer II: 15
Total: 340

Total Number of Peer Mentors

Spring: 4
Summer I: 5
Summer II: 2

Fall: 18
Spring: 20
Summer I: 5
Summer II: 7

Fall: 26
Spring: 25
Summer I:15
Summer II: 11

Fall: 25
Spring: 26
Summer I: 12
Summer II: 10

Fall: 25
Spring: 25
Summer I: 13
Summer II: 11

Total Number of Meetings

72

820

1,648

2,138

3,218

Average Number of Meetings Per Participant Per Week

3.6

2.9

5.4

9.4

9.5

Duration of Meetings (Hours)

144

1,640

3,296

4,276

6,436

Total Number of Hours Worked By Peer Mentor

Spring: 156
Summer: 231

Fall: 1,000.5
Spring: 1,307.15
Summer: 1,507.3

Fall: 2,622
Spring 3,388.75
Summer: 876.25

Fall: 2,009
Spring 2,676
Summer: 990

Fall: 1,597
Spring 2,168
Summer: 1,255

Average Number of Hours Worked Per Peer Mentor Per Week

Spring: 2.78
Summer: 2.36

Fall: 3
Spring: 3.3
Summer: 5.8

Fall: 5.6
Spring 7.5
Summer: 3.9

Fall: 5.9
Spring 6.5
Summer: 4.2

Fall: 7.0
Spring 7.7
Summer: 9.1

Total Number of Returning Participants from Previous Year

N/A

13

67

42

72

Percentage of Returning Participants from Previous Year

N/A

65%

22%

22%

21%

Total Number of Individualized Success Plans (ISPs) Completed

N/A

85

53

185

328

Total Participants w/ GPA That Increased

N/A

211

126

102

219

Percentage of Participants w/ GPA That Increased

N/A

75%

41%

44%

64%


STEM Program Participants
All currently enrolled WMU undergraduate students who meet any of the following eligibility requirements:

  • Have not declared a major or be admitted into intended major
  • Are federal financial aid-eligible
  • Are a first generation college student

STEM’s Advantages

  • Flexibility: Non-traditional tutoring hours
  • One-on-one tutoring by appointment
  • Services provided for most lower-level and select upper-level courses
  • Services available in many academic disciplines including, but not limited to:
    • Formal sciences: Mathematics, statistics, computer science
    • Natural sciences: Physics, chemistry, biology, earth science
    • Social/behavioral sciences: Psychology, sociology, anthropology, geography, political science, economics, women’s studies
    • Applied sciences: Engineering, aviation, business, education, communication
    • Humanities: History, philosophy, religion, foreign languages
  • Individualized Success Plan (ISP) for goal-setting and academic planning
  • Reward program for continued goal achievement
  • Intensive and extensive peer mentor/tutor selection, training, and evaluation

STEM Partnerships

  • Division of Multicultural Affairs (DMA)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Academy
  • College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)
  • John Seita Scholarship Program
  • Disability Services for Students
  • Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship Program

Updated: April 1, 2013




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Steps Toward Exhibiting Mastery (STEM) Program

2281 Ellsworth Hall
Division of Multicultural Affairs

Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5233 USA
Phone: (269) 387-4799 | Fax: (269) 387-3390
Email: stem-office@wmich.edu