Paid STEM Core Internships: Impacting Skillsets and Career Trajectories for Community College STEM Students

Cheryl Martinez; Gabe Hanzel-Sello; Ivanna Abreu

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: STEM and the Two-Year College
Tagged Division: Two-Year College Division (TYCD)
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47827

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Paper Authors

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Cheryl Martinez Growth Sector

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As the STEM Program Manager, Cheryl leads the STEM Core Initiative around campus programming, network technical assistance, staff onboarding and professional development/ongoing training, employer development and the STEM Core internship program.

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biography

Gabe Hanzel-Sello

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Gabe Hanzel-Sello currently serves as National STEM Director for Growth Sector- managing all aspects of the organization's programs across 30 community colleges in six states. Gabe been instrumental in the Growth Sector's exponential scaling from his star

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Ivanna Abreu

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Abstract

Paid STEM Core Internships: Impacting Skill Sets and Career Trajectories for Community College STEM Students

Internships are a crucial milestone for college students in which their technical skills and career pathways are molded. Employers have come to expect that students will enter the workforce with relevant experiences and an understanding of the field. However, community college students are more likely to face unique barriers that hinder their participation in an internship throughout their academic career. Whether the challenges are socioeconomic, social or a general lack of opportunities, 42% of community college students are less likely than their 4-year university counterparts to participate in a virtual or in-person internship. This deficit in experiential learning opportunities for community college STEM students hinders the persistence of students in tech and engineering.

Early access to internships and hands-on experiences can have a significant impact on students’ technical skills, persistence and confidence in STEM. However, early interventions and the creation of opportunities for students both gain critical experience and generate income is pivotal to creating change. To further address the barriers faced by students, Growth Sector, backbone organization for the National Science Foundation INCLUDES Alliance for STEM Core Expansion, developed paid internships to provide skills, mentorship and career exposure for STEM students nationally. The NSF shows commitment to the emphasis on internships releasing the statement that “NSF is pleased to offer these first-ever ExLENT awards to support the creation of new pathways for individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to gain on-the-job training in technologies that are critical to the nation's long-term competitiveness". Sharing the same sentiment with the NSF, during summer 2023, Growth Sector worked with industry partners and educational institutions in four states to subsidize 160 internships for community college students. These structured and supported internships consisted of the following best practices: Financial Support : Stipends of at least $7,000 were provided to participants. Partners recognize that finances are a major barrier to persistence in STEM undergraduate pathways, and many low-income/first-generation students work simultaneously while attending school. Students need a competitive financial incentive to mirror top internships in the field. Leveraging funds to pay for internship positions prioritized for STEM Core students. Growth Sector utilized funds from NSF INCLUDES, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Philanthropic dollars, State Community College funds to pay students for internships. Early Interventions and Support : Internship and Employer Development Series developed and delivered throughout the academic year to students in order to break down myths and misconceptions about the internship process. This early exposure to employers allows students to gain understanding of high level careers in STEM, as well as visualizing themselves in those roles and seeing a realistic pathway Summer Bridge programs as an opportunity to further participation and preparedness for internships. Many of our Summer 2023 interns were educated on the importance of internships and exposed to our internship process, since their Summer Bridge in 2022. This intervention led to a large number of applicants and subsequent intern placements through participant retention and overall confidence/resilience Employers and high level partners understand the needs of CC students. Partners are sought out for their understanding of barriers to success and their work towards providing opportunities for students. Employer partners are invested in the success of participants engaging in early mentorship, exposure to industry, then leading to internship hosts. Wraparound Support for Summer Interns. Throughout the summer interns checked in regularly with GS staff as an added support and proactive practice. Employer Relations: Providing local University research experiences as a tool to not only provide students with a structured technical/research experience but also explore transfer pathways. Exploring research placement at national labs . Making the case for an informal apprenticeship in which students return for multiple paid internships (even sometimes PT work during academic year) while they complete their degree Through this paper, best practices from the STEM Core Expansion Alliance can be shared to enhance opportunities to engage and prepare students for competitive STEM pathways via paid summer internships.

Citation
Format

Martinez, C., & Hanzel-Sello, G., & Abreu, I. (2024, June), Paid STEM Core Internships: Impacting Skillsets and Career Trajectories for Community College STEM Students Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47827

TY - CPAPER
AB - Paid STEM Core Internships:
Impacting Skill Sets and Career Trajectories for Community College STEM Students

Internships are a crucial milestone for college students in which their technical skills and career pathways are molded. Employers have come to expect that students will enter the workforce with relevant experiences and an understanding of the field. However, community college students are more likely to face unique barriers that hinder their participation in an internship throughout their academic career. Whether the challenges are socioeconomic, social or a general lack of opportunities, 42% of community college students are less likely than their 4-year university counterparts to participate in a virtual or in-person internship. This deficit in experiential learning opportunities for community college STEM students hinders the persistence of students in tech and engineering.

Early access to internships and hands-on experiences can have a significant impact on students’ technical skills, persistence and confidence in STEM. However, early interventions and the creation of opportunities for students both gain critical experience and generate income is pivotal to creating change. To further address the barriers faced by students, Growth Sector, backbone organization for the National Science Foundation INCLUDES Alliance for STEM Core Expansion, developed paid internships to provide skills, mentorship and career exposure for STEM students nationally. The NSF shows commitment to the emphasis on internships releasing the statement that “NSF is pleased to offer these first-ever ExLENT awards to support the creation of new pathways for individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences to gain on-the-job training in technologies that are critical to the nation&#39;s long-term competitiveness&quot;. Sharing the same sentiment with the NSF, during summer 2023, Growth Sector worked with industry partners and educational institutions in four states to subsidize 160 internships for community college students.
These structured and supported internships consisted of the following best practices:
Financial Support :
Stipends of at least $7,000 were provided to participants. Partners recognize that finances are a major barrier to persistence in STEM undergraduate pathways, and many low-income/first-generation students work simultaneously while attending school. Students need a competitive financial incentive to mirror top internships in the field.
Leveraging funds to pay for internship positions prioritized for STEM Core students. Growth Sector utilized funds from NSF INCLUDES, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Philanthropic dollars, State Community College funds to pay students for internships.
Early Interventions and Support :
Internship and Employer Development Series developed and delivered throughout the academic year to students in order to break down myths and misconceptions about the internship process. This early exposure to employers allows students to gain understanding of high level careers in STEM, as well as visualizing themselves in those roles and seeing a realistic pathway
Summer Bridge programs as an opportunity to further participation and preparedness for internships. Many of our Summer 2023 interns were educated on the importance of internships and exposed to our internship process, since their Summer Bridge in 2022. This intervention led to a large number of applicants and subsequent intern placements through participant retention and overall confidence/resilience
Employers and high level partners understand the needs of CC students. Partners are sought out for their understanding of barriers to success and their work towards providing opportunities for students. Employer partners are invested in the success of participants engaging in early mentorship, exposure to industry, then leading to internship hosts.
Wraparound Support for Summer Interns. Throughout the summer interns checked in regularly with GS staff as an added support and proactive practice.
Employer Relations:
Providing local University research experiences as a tool to not only provide students with a structured technical/research experience but also explore transfer pathways.
Exploring research placement at national labs .
Making the case for an informal apprenticeship in which students return for multiple paid internships (even sometimes PT work during academic year) while they complete their degree
Through this paper, best practices from the STEM Core Expansion Alliance can be shared to enhance opportunities to engage and prepare students for competitive STEM pathways via paid summer internships.

AU - Cheryl Martinez
AU - Gabe Hanzel-Sello
AU - Ivanna Abreu
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Paid STEM Core Internships: Impacting Skillsets and Career Trajectories for Community College STEM Students
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47827
ER -