Student Success Update
TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy: Presentation at National Conference
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs and Student Success, Donna Stokes and Director of Special Program, Ashley Askew, gave a poster presentation at the American Association of Colleges and Universities Conference on Learning and Student Success (CLASS) in San Juan, Puerto Rico on April 3rd - 6th. The presentation title “Calculus based Summer Bridge Program Support for Incoming Freshmen” highlighted the structure and successes of the TC Energy Summer Scholars program and how it provides a pathway to continued academic support and tools through the NSM Scholar Enrichment Program. Sharing the student success outcomes of the program provided a program model which can be used to support incoming students in their freshmen year and beyond.
Simple Syllabus Requirements beginning this Summer
Beginning with the Summer 2025 sessions, all courses are required to have a syllabus created in the Simple Syllabus tool. This will ensure all syllabi have the required university components included as well as provide consistent formatting with all necessary information for students. The format will be universal across classes to improve ease of use and will be accessible across all devices (laptops, phones, etc.). We will no longer need to upload our syllabi to our Faculty Centers in Peoplesoft to meet the Texas HB2504 requirements for providing syllabi to students. Simple Syllabus replaces that process. Instructions on creating a syllabus are available at Instructions@UH-Simple Syllabus.
NSM Giving Day
In support of the annual giving day, NSM tabled in the lobby of Science and Research 1 to encourage faculty, staff, and students to contribute. The NSM PEERS program which provides hands-on, peer-led, group problem solving sessions to support the Introductory Biology 1 & 2 and College Physics 1 & 2 courses was the featured program. PEERS facilitator alumni were contacted and encouraged to support the program. The College received seventy-four (74) gifts totaling $4,398 to support the program.
NSM Advising Event in Cougar Village 1
Four members of the NSM Advising Team, Natalie Sumrow (Executive Director), Ashley Cook (Director), Sandra Merino-Osorio (Assistant Director), and Tamara Riggs (Assistant Director) joined the NSM Living Learning Community for an advising event on Tuesday, March 16th from 5:30-6:30. The event was open to all NSM students residing in Cougar Village 1 and Cougar Village 2. Students received one-on-one advising to prepare them for the April 1st opening of course registration for Fall and Summer 2025. Resident Life provided pizza for the event and the students were very appreciative of the opportunity to have advising conveniently close to home!
Staff Professional Development
Ashley Askew, Director of Special Programs, conducted a presentation workshop for members of the UH Society for Human Resource Management (UHSHRM) on March 24 entitled “Presentations 101: The Art of Story Telling.” The session covered impactful presentation structures, design, participant engagement, practicing becoming a content expert and seeking feedback.
Office of First Year Program (OFYP) Updates
Recruitment, Transition, Retention
The OFYP participated in numerous activities related to recruitment, transition, and retention of majors. This included:
- March 6 - Undergraduate Recruitment Board meeting hosted by the Office of Admissions
- March 7 - co-hosted an Academic Information Sessions
- March 19 - Health & Wellness Fair at UH at Sugarland
- On March 26, the OFYP hosted the Department of Chemistry for Coffee & Conversations, an informal opportunity for first year and first-semester-transfer students to connect casually with their classmates and departmental professors about class and research interests. Thanks to the faculty, staff and students who attended!
OFYP continues to send Welcome & Next Steps communication email campaigns to Summer and Fall 2025 admits. These email campaigns include information about the OFYP, Orientation, the Math Placement Exam, the OFYP’s Peer Mentorship Program, the NSM Living-Learning Center, and the OFYP’s Block Party. In addition, the OFYP initiated a Call Campaign on March 5th to recruit accepted students to NSM for Fall 2025.
The OFYP reviewed student engagement in OFYP activities for the FTIC24 cohort and entered Notes in Navigate to support proactive retention efforts.
Student Leadership Team (SLT) Program
SLT members hosted Study Nights to support students’ success in foundational STEM courses, including:
- Calculus I, hosted on March 18, where 16 students attended.
- Chemistry I, hosted on March 20, where 26 students attended.
- SLT partnered with the Metropolitan Volunteer Program at the Sunnyside Permaculture Community Garden on Saturday, March 22.
- SLT members assisted with UH Giving Day on Wednesday, March 5.
- OFYP staff assisted with the NSM Premed Emergency Preparedness Day on Thursday, March 27.
teachHOUSTON Updates
On April 4, Dr. Paige Evans delivered the Plenary session Texas Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers conference held at the University of Houston. Her presentation titled: Strengthening Physics Education: Preparing, Supporting, and Retaining Outstanding Teachers, focused on the need to prepare physics educators.
On April 4, the teachHOUSTON team hosted a luncheon for local school district partners. teachHOUSTON students held a gallery walk to present examples of math and science lessons to the visiting district personnel. Program faculty and staff highlighting the different certification pathways and program offerings through teachHOUSTON.
On April 3, Dr. Paige Evans and Dr. Karen McIntush hosted an informational session for students in computer science. Two students majoring in computer science and teachHOUSTON shared their experiences in the program and their excitement about working with 7-12th grade students.
Recruiting
- On March 24, teachHOUSTON faculty and staff hosted a luncheon for the NSM Academic Advising Center for their continued partnership with recruitment and support for the program.
- On March 26, the teachHOUSTON program participated in a recruitment event during the NSM Advising Center Blossom into your Perfect Schedule event as students visited with their academic advisors.
- Throughout the month of March, teachHOUSTON faculty and staff have been visiting NSM Science and math classes to recruit students to the programs.
On March 21, the teachHOUSTON program hosted a Teacher Interest Group (TIG) facilitated by Dr. Karla Garza for their preservice secondary STEM Teachers as part of the University of Houston, Advancing Cultural and Computational Engagement in STEM Scholars (UH-ACCESS) NSF grant program. The purpose of the IG is to offer support and opportunities to help pre-service teachers support their student populations and connect to their communities. James Hernandez, a Doctoral Candidate from Florida State University, presented his session titled Culturally Responsive Classroom Management 2.0: Unlock Transformative Practices for your Dynamic Classroom. The UH-ACCESS $1.2 million grant program is in year 4 and is led by Drs. Paige Evans, Donna Stokes, Jaspal Subhlok, and Weihang Zhu.
- On March 20, teachHOUSTON hosted a tabling event in Science and Research 1 building to promote the different programs offered to recruit for the Fall 2025 semester.
- On March 1, teachHOUSTON hosted a Saturday professional development day for the Fifteen Master Teacher Fellows in the STEM-Lead Developing STEM Teacher Leaders in Culturally Responsive Classroom Management and Induction (STEM-Lead) program. The teachers engaged in activities center on Culturally Responsive Classroom Management, induction support and Engineering Design Processes.