UNDER REPRESENTED
in
GEOSCIENCE
African American
Non-traditional Students
Veterans
Dual Enrolled
GED Awardees
First Generation
Hispanics
Women
Recruiting Challenges in Geosciences in the 2-year College Environment –
Heidi J. L. Lannon
In recognition of Geosciences as a found major Santa Fe College,
the University of Florida Center for Remote Sensing and the Orlando
Science Center partnered in the National Science Foundation funded
Geoscience Engagement and Outreach (GEO) Program. The
objective is to recruit, retain and mentor students from
underrepresented groups, who are nonscience oriented, from
diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and age groups, and have
parents who do not hold a bachelor's degree.
The GEO program supports a cohort of two-year college students
from underrepresented populations. Activities include academic
advising; faculty mentored research in the geoscience sub-
disciplines of meteorology, soil hydrology, and STEM education; and
skill-building for careers to produce graduates prepared for the
expectations of future employers.
Santa Fe College is an open-access academic environment,
accepting students with a high school diploma or equivalent. While
diverse in ability and backgrounds, students in 2-year environments
do not have organized affiliations, may have challenging family or
employment situations and lack the ability to be able to participate
in structured programs. Recruitment and retention of students is
achieved through authentic geoscience research experiences with
University of Florida faculty integrated with classroom work and
practical applications in the form of a paid summer internship at the
Orlando Science Center.
Abstract
Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment Goal:
Caption
University of Florida
MENTOR –Jasmeet
Judge, Soil Hydrology
University of Florida
MENTOR –CoreneMatyas,
Meteorology
College Demographics
Cohort 1 Majors
GEOSCIENCES
Business
Biological Sciences, Pre Med
Engineering
Meteorology
Aeronautical
Engineering
Geology
Anthropology
General Studies
Agriculture, Animal Sciences
References
Blackwell, E., & Pinder, P. J. (2014). What are the motivational factors of first generation minority college students who
overcome their family history to pursue higher education?. College Student Journal, 48(1), 45-56.
Ceci, S. J., Ginther, D. K., Kahn, S., & Williams, W. M. (2015). Women in science: the path to progress. Scientific
American Mind, 26(1), 62-69.
Hirst, R. A., Bolduc, G., Liotta, L., & Packard, B. W. (2014). Cultivating the STEM Transfer Pathway and Capacity for
Research: A Partnership Between a Community College and a 4-Year College. Journal Of College Science Teaching,
43(4), 12-17.
Holmes, M. A., & O’Connell, S. (2005). Where are the Women Geoscience Professors?. NSF/AWG Foundation.
Kim, K., Sharma, P., Land, S., & Furlong, K. (2013). Effects of Active Learning on Enhancing Student Critical Thinking in
an Undergraduate General Science Course. Innovative Higher Education, 38(3), 223-235. doi:10.1007/s10755-012-
9236-x
Levine, R., González, R., Cole, S., Fuhrman, M., & Floch, K. C. L. (2007). The Geoscience Pipeline: A Conceptual
Framework. Journal of Geoscience Education, 55(6), 458.
Libarkin, J. C., & Anderson, S. (2005). Assessment of learning in entry-level geoscience courses: Results from the
Geoscience Concept Inventory. Journal of Geoscience Education, 53(4), 394–401.
Linn, M. C., Palmer, E., Baranger, A., Gerard, E., & Stone, E. (2015). Undergraduate research experiences: Impacts
and opportunities. Science, 347(6222), 1261757. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1261757
O’Connell, S., & Holmes, M. A. (2011). Obstacles to the recruitment of minorities into the geosciences: A call to action .
GSA Today, 21(6), 52–54. http://doi.org/10.1130/G105GW.1
Santa Fe College Honors
54.6% Female 60.2% Female
17% African American 4.9% African American
34% African American 1st Generation
30% 1st Generation in College
>6% Hispanic 10.4% Hispanic
25 yrs Average age 6% Over 25 years
9% Over 40 years 3% Veterans
No geoscience majors
Recruiting Successes
Veterans –14%
Non-Traditional –
57%
Dual Enrolled –14%
GED Awardees – 14%
First Generation –
85%
Hispanics -14%
African American
Males -14%
Women -28%
• Alternate cohort
students selected
• Work with University
of Florida mentors
• Participate in
seminar and classes
• Orlando Science
Center engagement
activities not
guaranteed
• Geosciences
mentoring
• Objective of transfer
to geosciences
bachelor’s program
• May apply for
subsequent cohorts.
Cohort Retention
Reach 50 incoming freshmen. Santa Fe College is an open-
access academic environment, accepting students who have
competed a high school diploma or equivalent. While diverse
in ability and backgrounds, students in 2-year environments
do not have organized affiliations, may have challenging
family or employment situations and lack the ability to
participate in the proposed internship.
Recruiting Tool Recruitment Target
Santa Fe College Advising Required of all students
Santa Fe College Orientation Required, in person or online
Career Services Center Available to all students
60 Student Organizations Available to all students
Student Ambassadors Available to all students
Santa Fe College Convocation by President Faculty and staff, announcements each semester
College social media – Website, Facebook,
Twitter, Santa Fe Today
Available to all faculty, staff and students
College Website - rotating banner Available to all faculty, staff and students
GEO project alumni - peer mentoring future
cohort recruitment, retention
Peer & future cohorts, all students
Veterans and Military Success Services Office Veterans, underrepresented minorities, first generation,
nontraditional veteran, who benefit from personalized
mentoring.
Santa Fe College Pathways to Persistence Non-traditional students, links faculty mentors with GED
recipients
Santa Fe College Student Support Services First generation and low-income students
Santa Fe College My Brother’s Keeper African American Males - faculty/student mentoring, potential
for recruitment
Honors orientation, newsletter, webpage, Phi
Theta Kappa Honors Society
Honors students
Santa Fe College Upward Bound Program, U.S.
Department of Education
Underrepresented high school students from low-income
families and from families in which neither parent holds a
bachelor's degree
High School Teachers as role models Students with no higher education access, awareness or peer
groups
High School Classes Advanced Placement Geography and International
Baccalaureate Environmental Science
Florida Geographic Alliance –information,
training clearinghouse
Statewide teachers and faculty
Florida Society of Geographers – professional
organization
Faculty, teachers, Statewide representation
Apply here…