The funding comes from the National Science Foundation through its Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program. The grant will allow IC to implement highly effective methods for teaching and learning STEM subjects.

 Illinois College’s program is a response to the national effort by NSF to address the need for qualified candidates to fill jobs in STEM, which the Commerce Department predicts will continue to grow at a significantly higher rate than other jobs.Provost and Dean of the College Catharine O’Connell said that Illinois College’s involvement with this program demonstrates IC’s commitment to position students for success in these growing fields. 
 

“Ultimately, we expect that due to grant activities, more students will pursue majors in STEM fields and graduate with degrees that will lead to successful careers,” O’Connell said.

She also said that the success of Illinois College faculty members in securing the competitive grant is a “testament to their long-standing and deep commitment to teaching excellence.” Through the grant, IC faculty members in science and math will train their top students to provide supplemental instruction in foundational STEM courses that many students, particularly first-year students, find challenging. The goal is to keep these difficult classes from becoming “off ramps” taking students away from majoring in STEM fields.
The model focuses on mindset training, which is the philosophy that a student’s ability to learn is not fixed and can be improved through hard work and dedication. Faculty members will also participate in professional development activities to enhance student learning and success in STEM courses.

Dr. Clayton Spencer, associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Elizabeth Rellinger Zettler, professor of psychology, will lead the project. The IUSE grant will continue for three years; research results will be used to evaluate and further develop best practices for academic support and student learning in STEM.