The role of two-year colleges in higher education is important and growing, and Susan Hixon played a key role in expanding NSF support for these institutions. This presentation will describe two community college based projects that have had positive impacts on both students and faculty: The STEM-ENGINES Undergraduate Research Collaborative (URC) and the ChemEd Bridges (CEB) project. The URC supported authentic undergraduate research opportunities for almost 300 community college undergraduates. The observed impacts of this early research experience were increased skill development, enhanced transfer rates, and students' greater realization of their potential to earn STEM degrees. Students from underrepresented groups and first-generation college students were strongly impacted. CEB targeted community college faculty and scaffolded their development as teacher-scholars through travel support, symposium organization, network building, and mentoring. Almost 60 faculty were impacted, and many were empowered to become leaders at their colleges and within their professional societies.

Susan Hixon and her support of NSF projects for community college students and faculty

244th National Meeting (2012)

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