Interdisciplinary Sustainability Training in Higher Education: Access, Inclusivity, and Sustainability Through STEM Education View Digital Media

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Tabetha Johnson,  Marvin Payne  

STEM Bridge 2022 at La Sierra University aimed to provide a more comprehensive experience than the pilot program of 2021. The upgraded program included room and board for 19 participants. 2022 Cohort students resided in dorms for two weeks before the fall quarter. The 2022 cohort included 16 first-year students and three transfer students, more than double the participation of 2021. Like STEM Bridge 2021, the program introduced students to internship opportunities and career pathways within STEM. Improvements to the 2022 program included daily greenhouse plant experimentation, Peer-led learning, and group poster presentations. Students’ efforts lay a foundation for thinking about real-world solutions to long-standing community problems and emphasize the importance of inclusive representation in STEM, the importance of access, and of including all voices. Students developed a meaningful peer and faculty support system and became familiar with navigating the campus culture as an additional benefit. Soft skill sessions and increased early access to the campus facilities proved meaningful on multiple levels. One hundred percent of polled STEM Bridge students indicated they felt more confident in their ability to be successful at La Sierra because of attending STEM Bridge. 92.9% of polled students said they felt more aware of social and academic resources on campus to support them because they attended STEM Bridge. 84.7 percent of polled students felt more confident about starting college because of the friends they made at STEM Bridge. Students also gained confidence in their ability to do research and find solutions to real-world problems.