With funding from an HHMI grant, we have made two changes to our UNIV 101 course, in an attempt to increase retention of STEM majors. UNIV 101 is a one-term course that all first-year students are required to take, with each section is populated according to major. This course serves as an introduction to college life and is typically taught by a faculty member within the department. The first change was the incorporation of peer mentors. Two upper level students in the same major as the students in the section attend all of the classes and help to teach the course. The peer mentors also organize two events outside of class time. This gives the first-year students a chance to connect with and get advice from upper-level students within the same major. The second change in the course was the incorporation of a research-based component. During one of the classes, the course instructor introduces a research topic. The students then spend the rest of the term learning more about that topic and creating research questions related to that topic, with help from the peer mentors. The goal of this project is to help the students connect to and develop an identity within their major. Student retention rates before and after the incorporation of these changes will be presented.

Incorporation of peer mentors and an introduction to research into a UNIV 101 course

2019 Fall National Meeting

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