Alverno College Receives $1.9 Million Grant From the National Science Foundation

Alverno College has been awarded a six-year, $1.9 million grant by the National Science Foundation. The funds will be used to increase recruitment and retention of talented, low-income students in science.

“It’s imperative that more women, and more diverse women, pursue careers in science,” said Rebekah Klingler, PhD, project director for the grant. “As a women’s college and Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) that serves primarily low-income and first-generation students, Alverno is well positioned to address the national need for a more diverse STEM workforce, and we are thrilled that this grant will help us do that.”

The program will continue the successful work done with previous grants to support students in a range of science disciplines. Objectives for the program include:

• Expanding the number of talented, low-income women enrolled in Alverno STEM programs using innovative recruitment strategies that engage community partners.
• Boosting the one-year retention and four-year graduation rates for participating students through community building, advising and professional development experiences conducted as a supportive, multidisciplinary, mixed-age cohort.
• Increasing the proportion of highly prepared women entering science, technology, engineering and math graduate programs and careers after earning their degrees.

Students taking part in the program will benefit from a range of activities including cohort-building events, professional development, academic support, mentoring and opportunities for undergraduate research and leadership experiences.

In addition, the project will build and strengthen relationships with community partners to provide educational opportunities and expanded professional development for women and women of color, promoting entry into high-paying STEM jobs.

“We know that students who receive personalized attention have better outcomes, and this grant will allow us to really focus on giving students in science meaningful engagement that sets them up for success in their chosen fields,” said Klingler.

The project will also provide valuable data on the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary, mixed-age cohort model on student belonging, persistence and success, exploring how other similarly sized institutions can effectively create strong cohorts of diverse STEM majors.