1. Community College of Baltimore County
STEMtech 2016
Associate’s or Bachelor’s?
Long-Term Follow-up of STEM Students
Sylvia Sorkin
Mathematics Department
Community College of Baltimore County

2. Community College of Baltimore County
Public, two-year college system with 3 campuses and 3 extension centers
Fall 2012 credit enrollment: 25,188 students
33% were full-time
62% Female
39% African-American
41% Pell recipients in academic year
2,132 Associate degrees awarded in Fiscal Year 2012

3. Community Colleges and STEM
5.8% of the U.S. workforce is in STEM occupations.
In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area close to CCBC, 12.7% of the workforce is in STEM occupations.
Many who transfer to 4-year colleges do so without first earning a 2-year associate’s degree.

4. NSF-funded Scholarship Programs
Funded by U.S National Science Foundation (NSF) using H1-B visa fees.
Project goal to increase the enrollment, graduation, and transfer of students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs at CCBC.
Scholarship awardees must be:
U.S. Citizens
Permanent Resident Aliens
Refugee Aliens

5. Two Similar Scholarship Projects
2 four-year NSF scholarship projects at CCBC
CSEMS (Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships) program from Fall 2004 – Fall 2008 awarded scholarships to 75 students (25 Female / 50 Male)
S-STEM (Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program from Fall 2008 – Fall 2012 awarded scholarships to 99 students (36 Female / 63 Male).

6. CSEMS & S-STEM Awardees Combined
Combined 165 Awardees
S-STEM 90
CSEMS 66 9
(25F/50M)
(36F/63M)
(60F/105M)
92 Bachelor’s Degrees
(28F/64M)

7. Combined 165 Scholars - Race & Ethnicity
165 CSEMS & S-STEM Awardees Fall 04 – Fall 12
30%
19%
44% 4% 2% 7

8. NSF STEM Funding at CCBC
Combined, from Fall 2004 through Fall 2012,
165 students received scholarships
Average award was for 2.5 semesters
Scholarship award depended on financial need
Average award was $1,600 per semester 8

9. CCBC CSEMS & S-STEM Criteria
Maintain 2.5 or higher Grade Point Average
Take MATH each semester until completed all math for major program
Register for, and complete, 12 credits in one of these career or transfer programs each semester of award:
Biology
Chemistry
Engineering
Mathematics
Physics
Computer Science
E-Business
Environmental Science
IS/IT/Networks
Multimedia

10. Interventions Used
One or two-day summer career program for awardees focusing on STEM programs
Guest speakers from STEM fields, visits to workplace (Northrop Grumman, NASA) and 4-year institutions
Optional internships for awardees
Mentoring of all awardees by STEM faculty
Faculty mentors met at least monthly with their student mentees
Mentor created an individual academic plan with each awardee

11. How to Follow-up Awardees?
Mentor contact
Facebook, LinkedIn
National Student Clearinghouse

12. Combined Awardee Outcomes
CSEMS
Fall 04 – Fall 08
S-STEM
Fall 08 – Fall 12
Combined List
Fall 04 – Fall 12
Number of Awardees
% of
Awardees
% of Awardees
Transferred to 4-year 65
87% 88
89%
144
Graduated (no transfer) 5 7% 5% 10 6%
Still Enrolled (in 2015) 1 1% 2
Dropped Out 4 9
TOTALS: 75
100% 99
165
Associate’s Degrees: 42
56% 51
52% 91
55%
Bachelor’s Degrees: 44
59% 57
58% 92
NOTE: Nine (9) students initially received CSEMS and later S-STEM scholarships. Duplicate counts are removed from combined list of awardees.

13. Efforts to Increase Transfer Rate
Awardees encouraged to complete bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields
After transfer, students could receive up to 2 more semesters of scholarship funding
25% of scholarship funds were awarded those who had transferred
CCBC faculty continued to mentor awardees after transfer

14. Where are the 165 awardees?
As of Spring 2016, at least 144 had transferred
to these 4-year institutions:
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Towson University
University of Maryland College Park
University of Baltimore
University of Maryland University College
Morgan State University
University of Maryland Baltimore
over 20 other public and private institutions in- and out-of-state 14

15. Transfer Institutions
Transfer Institutions for Earned Bachelor's Degrees for 92 Awardees by Gender
Frequency 15

16. Major Programs for Earned Bachelor's Degrees for 92 Awardees by Gender
Bachelor’s Programs
Major Programs for Earned Bachelor's Degrees for 92 Awardees by Gender
Female
Male
Frequency 16

17. Bachelor’s Majors 17

18. Time in Months to Bachelor’s Degree
Time to Bachelor's Degree from Community College Entry for 92 Awardees by Gender
Mean = 66 months
Median = 59 months
Mode = 51 months
Number of Awardees
Mean = 68 months
Median = 63 months
Mode = 51 months
Median = 63 months
Mean = 71 months
Mode = 51 months

19. Outcomes for 165 Awardees by Gender
Females
Males
Combined
Outcome
Number
% of Female Awardees
Number of Awardees
% of Male Awardees
% of All Awardees
Associate’s Degrees 39
65% 52
50% 91
55%
Transferred
87% 92
88%
144
Bachelor’s Degrees 27
45% 65
62%
56%
Total
Awardees 60
105
165

20. Outcomes for 165 Awardees by Gender
Females
Males
Combined
Outcome
Number
% of Female Awardees
Number of Awardees
% of Male Awardees
% of All Awardees
Associate’s Degrees 39
65% 52
50% 91
55%
Transferred
87% 92
88%
144
Bachelor’s Degrees 27
45% 65
62%
56%
Total
Awardees 60
105
165

21. Outcomes for 165 Awardees by Gender
Females
Males
Combined
Outcome
Number
% of Female Awardees
Number of Awardees
% of Male Awardees
% of All Awardees
Associate’s Degrees 39
65% 52
50% 91
55%
Transferred
87% 92
88%
144
Bachelor’s Degrees 27
45% 65
62%
56%
Total
Awardees 60
105
165

22. Conclusions
Female awardees were more likely to earn STEM Associate’s degrees
Female and Male awardees were equally likely to Transfer to four-year institutions
Male awardees were more likely to earn STEM Bachelor’s degrees
Median time to STEM Bachelor’s degree was 63 months from community college entry 22

23. Outcomes for 165 Awardees by Race
White
African American
All Other
Outcome
Number of
White Awardees
% of White Awardees
Afr.Am. Awardees
% of Afr.Am. Awardees
Other Awardees
% of Other Awardees
Associate’s Degrees 45
62% 31 15
36%
Transferred 57
78% 47
94% 40
95%
Bachelor’s Degrees 36
49% 28
56%
67%
PharmD Degrees 1 1% 3 6% 2 5%
Total Awardees 73
44% 50
30% 42
25%

24. Defining Success Over 2,000 full-time freshmen entered CCBC in 2007
“Success” here is defined as:
Transfer to a 4-year institution or
Graduation with Associate’s degree or certificate

25. Transfer, Graduation, Retention
CCBC cohort of 2,938 full-time freshman 4 years after 2009 entry
Transferred
Graduated but did not transfer
Still at community college
Dropped out
29% Success Rate
23%
13%
58% 6%
Throughout the 16 community colleges in Maryland, the drop out rate is quite high at 55% for students who began as fulltime freshman four years earlier.
Only 34% Transfer to a 4 year college or graduate with an Associate’s degree within 4 years.

26. Transfer, Graduation, Retention
CCBC cohort of 2,938 full-time freshman 4 years after 2009 entry
165 CCBC CSEMS & S-STEM scholarship awardees
Transferred
Graduated but did not transfer
Still at community college
Dropped out 5% 1% 6%
23%
13%
58% 6%
87%
Throughout the 16 community colleges in Maryland, the drop out rate is quite high at 55% for students who began as fulltime freshman four years earlier.
Only 34% Transfer to a 4 year college or graduate with an Associate’s degree within 4 years.
93% Success Rate

27. S-STEM Outcomes by Math Placement
Initial Math Placement
Developmental Level
Non-Developmental Level
Combined
Outcome
Number of Awardees
% of Awardees
Transferred 30
81% 58
94% 88
89%
Graduated
(no transfer) 3 8% 2 3% 5 5%
Still Enrolled 1 0% 1%
Dropped Out
Total: 37
100% 62 99
Associate’s 18
49% 33
53% 51
52%
Bachelor’s 19
51% 38
61% 57
58%
PharmD 2 5% 4 6% 6

28. S-STEM Outcomes by Math Placement
Initial Math Placement
Developmental Level
Non-Developmental Level
Combined
Outcome
Number of Awardees
% of Awardees
Transferred 30
81% 58
94% 88
89%
Graduated
(no transfer) 3 8% 2 3% 5 5%
Still Enrolled 1 0% 1%
Dropped Out
Total: 37
100% 62 99
Associate’s 18
49% 33
53% 51
52%
Bachelor’s 19
51% 38
61% 57
58%
PharmD 2 5% 4 6% 6

29. S-STEM Outcomes by Math Placement
Initial Math Placement
Developmental Level
Non-Developmental Level
Combined
Outcome
Number of Awardees
% of Awardees
Transferred 30
81% 58
94% 88
89%
Graduated
(no transfer) 3 8% 2 3% 5 5%
Still Enrolled 1 0% 1%
Dropped Out
Total: 37
100% 62 99
Associate’s 18
49% 33
53% 51
52%
Bachelor’s 19
51% 38
61% 57
58%
PharmD 2 5% 4 6% 6

30. S-STEM Outcomes by Math Placement
Initial Math Placement
Developmental Level
Non-Developmental Level
Combined
Outcome
Number of Awardees
% of Awardees
Transferred 30
81% 58
94% 88
89%
Graduated
(no transfer) 3 8% 2 3% 5 5%
Still Enrolled 1 0% 1%
Dropped Out
Total: 37
100% 62 99

31. Combined Outcomes by Racial/Ethnic
White
African American
All Other
Outcome
Number of Awardees
% of Awardees
Transferred 57
78% 47
94% 40
95%
Graduated
(no transfer) 9
12% 1 2% 0%
Still Enrolled 2 4%
Dropped Out 7
10% 5%
Totals: 73
100% 50 42

32. Combined Outcomes by Racial/Ethnic
White
African American
All Other
Outcome
Number of Awardees
% of Awardees
Transferred 57
78% 47
94% 40
95%
Graduated
(no transfer) 9
12% 1 2% 0%
Still Enrolled 2 4%
Dropped Out 7
10% 5%
Totals: 73
100% 50 42

33. Diversity of 165 Combined Awardees
Racial/Ethnic Group
% of CCBC Fall 2009 Credit Enrollment
CSEMS
Fall 04 – Fall 08
S-STEM
Fall 08 – Fall 12
Combined List
Fall 04 – Fall 12
Number of Awardees
% of
Awardees
% of Awardees
White
53% 36
48% 38
38% 73
44%
African American
34% 23
31% 31 50
30%
Asian 5% 13
17% 21
21%
19%
Hispanic 3% 3 4% 5 7
Other: 0% 4 2%
TOTAL:
100% 75 99
165
NOTE: Nine (9) students initially received CSEMS and later S-STEM scholarships. Duplicate counts are removed from combined list of awardees.

34. Acknowledgement
This research project is a follow-up of CCBC awardees under the NSF-funded S-STEM award DUE , and CSEMS award DUE Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.