OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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The STEM Leaders Program at Oregon State provides research and mentorship opportunities that support students often underrepresented in STEM (first-generation, students of color, Pell-eligible, and/or women in forestry). When COVID-19 caused a sudden shift to online activities, the STEM Leaders program surveyed their 2020-21 cohort of students to see how they were adjusting after their first academic term. A majority of students reported feeling disconnected from their peers and coursework due to the virtual learning environment.
Yenifer Ramirez Gonzalez and Allan Aguirre-Burk are a great example of this. Because members of the Oregon State STEM Leaders program looked out for them, they found themselves surrounded by opportunities — including undergraduate research, internships, attending the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities conference, and more.
In the last five years, OSU STEM Leaders has served more than 275 first-year and transfer students. They include first-generation, rural, low income, ethnic and religious minorities along with others who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. All the students begin with STEM majors in either the College of Science, College of Forestry or College of Agricultural Sciences – the three colleges that were part of the original NSF grant.