Student Success Update
NSM Student Leadership Program Events
NSMTalks Diversity in STEM
The NSM Student Leadership Team hosted “NSMTalks” on Wednesday, November 10. NSMTalks events engage NSM students, faculty, and staff in insightful conversations. For this event, the theme “Diversity in STEM” allowed guest speakers, Dr. Ana Medrano (Biology/Biochemistry), Dr. Rita Sirrieh (Honors College) and Zongqi Li (CAPS) to discuss their experiences, successes, and challenges with diversity in STEM.
Study Nights for Calculus I
The NSM Student Leadership Program continues to host study nights for Calculus I. NSM data shows that students who complete Cal I within their first 30 hours at UH are more likely to successfully complete an NSM degree. These study nights help to support our students and get them on the pathway to completing their degree. The next Calculus I Study Night is November 22, and a Final Exam Study Night will be on December 2. Follow the Office of First Year Programs on Instagram (@nsmfirstyear) to stay up-to-date on activities and events.
Scholar Enrichment Program Updates
TC Energy Resume Workshop
Earlier in the semester, the Scholar Enrichment Program partnered with TC Energy to host a resume writing workshop. On October 14, students who attended the workshop had the special opportunity to have their resume assessed by a TC Energy representative. Each student was scheduled in a 20-minute, one-on-one session with a TC Energy talent recruiter to discuss their resume structure, resume content, and to get overall feedback. Sixteen students and four TC Energy talent recruiters participated in this professional development event. In spring 2022, TC Energy will host a second professional development workshop geared toward increasing confidence in interviews.
NSM Calculus I Rescue Workshops
The Scholar Enrichment Program offered a late start Calculus I Rescue Workshop beginning October 18 with the goal of supporting students enrolled in Calculus I who were identified as at risk for completing the course. Peer facilitators lead the two workshop sections. The professors for the Calculus I courses have been instrumental in encouraging students to enroll.
Students who scored below a 70% on the first full exam of the semester were invited, and all students were encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to gain additional support. Students who wished to enroll but had a conflict with the offered workshops had the opportunity to join the Scholar Enrichment Program Collaborative Learning Groups, which are small sections of 6-10 students who meet with a peer mentor weekly to work on course material. Twenty-two students registered for the Rescue Workshops, and three students joined the Collaborative Learning Groups. The workshops focus on basic algebra skills as well as on calculus concepts, as weak algebra skills are frequently at the root of issues with problem solving in calculus. We hope this additional support paves the way to good study habits, stronger learning communities, and better outcomes in this critical course for STEM success.
teachHOUSTON Receives $100K Grant from CenterPoint
CenterPoint awarded teachHOUSTON and the National Math and Science Initiative $100,000 for a CenterPoint New Teachers Academy. The Academy will elevate and support teachers just graduating from the teachHOUSTON program both inside and outside of their classrooms. The Academy will create regular networking among new teachers, advanced graduate fellows, and in-service teachers that are alumni of the program. It will also serve as a community of practice and a recruiting tool for the teachHOUSTON program.