Student Success & Undergraduate Affairs Update
Enrollment Overview
Undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2025 is down slightly by 0.7%, marking the first time since 2021 that headcount has not shown a positive increase. However, semester credit hours for NSM courses are up nearly 3%. The Office of First Year Programs is reviewing enrollment data and developing strategies to strengthen recruitment and retention in NSM majors. Thank you to all who have been engaging with our first-time-in-college and transfer students through OFYP events. Your efforts help create a welcoming environment that supports student success. We encourage you to continue connecting with students throughout the semester.
NSM Pilot Embedded Tutor Program
NSM launched the Embedded Tutors Program (ETP) this semester, placing peer tutors directly into the classroom to support student success. The pilot includes two courses: Calculus I, led by Professor Melahat Almus, and First Year Seminar, led by Kayla Molnar and Sophia Lesperance in the Office of First Year Programs. Embedded tutors are undergraduate students who attend class sessions and engage alongside their peers. They provide both academic and mentoring support while also assisting instructors inside and outside the classroom. The model is flexible, allowing the role of each tutor to be tailored to course and student needs. Funded through a Provost Pilot Student Success Initiative grant, the program seeks to strengthen performance, retention, and graduation outcomes in gateway NSM courses with high DWIF rates, while also fostering community and a sense of belonging in the first-year experience.
2025 Professional Development Summer Institute - Excel Workshops
Ashley Askew, Director of Special Programs, led two Excel workshops at the UH 2025 Professional Development Summer Institute, hosted by Institutional Research & Effectiveness on August 13.
Her first session, Excel 101: Mastering the Basics, introduced participants to essential tools such as navigating the interface, entering and formatting data, applying basic formulas, and sorting and filtering information. The follow-up session, Excel 102: Intermediate Tools for Organizing and Analyzing Data, built on those skills with topics including logical and lookup functions, drop-down lists, conditional formatting, linking worksheets, and PivotTables.
Office of First Year Programs Update
Recruitment, Transition, and Retention
This fall, OFYP is offering two sections of the NSM First-Year Seminar, designed to support first-year students in their transition to UH by connecting them with resources and strategies for success. Each section also includes two embedded tutors who provide additional academic and mentoring support.
Admissions applications for UH are now open. On September 8, OFYP began its first round of College Reviews and will continue conversations about updating FTIC admissions requirements for the next recruitment cycle.
First-Year Tailgate
On August 28, OFYP hosted the first First-Year Tailgate, replacing the traditional Block Party. Nearly 300 students attended this new tradition, which connected NSM peer mentors, mentees, and fellow students. Many thanks to those who assisted with setup, facilitation, and teardown. Feedback about the event can be shared at nsmyear1@uh.edu.
Coffee & Conversations
The first Coffee & Conversations of the academic year was held September 3, bringing together students across all NSM departments. Fifty-one students participated in this community-building event.
Student Leadership Team (SLT) Update
NSM Student Leadership Program Welcomes New Team Members
The NSM Student Leadership Program welcomed more than 30 new members this fall, bringing the 2025–2026 Student Leadership Team (SLT) to 54 students. The SLT provides critical support for first-time-in-college and transfer students through mentorship, academic workshops, and study nights for Chemistry I and Calculus I. Faculty are encouraged to direct students to these resources, which help strengthen success and retention in the first year.
Leadership Retreat
On August 21–22, OFYP hosted the annual Co-Chair and SLT Retreat. The two-day retreat featured team-building, professional development, and community-building activities. This year, 54 SLT members are mentoring 171 first-year and transfer students—an increase from 149 mentees last year, 120 of whom were active participants.
Fall Kickoff Activities
The SLT connected with students during the Peer Mentorship Fair on September 4 at Rockwell Pavilion. That evening, the team hosted a Mentorship Social Night in the Student Center South Games Room. Fifty-two NSM students attended, meeting their peer mentors and fellow mentees in person to begin building lasting connections for the year ahead.
TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy Wraps Up
The TC Energy Summer Scholars Academy concluded on August 8 with 49 students completing the program. Designed to strengthen pathways into STEM, the program had two key goals: to help students earn credit for Calculus I and to transition them into their first-choice NSM or Engineering major.
Twenty-nine students (59%) earned Calculus I credit, qualified for Calculus II, and had their majors updated to their top-choice NSM or Engineering field effective Fall 2025. Sixteen students (33%) placed into Calculus I, while the remaining participants placed into Precalculus.
Throughout the summer, TC Energy hosted two panels in July: one featuring company employees and NSM Dean’s Advisory Board members, and another highlighting four TC Energy interns, including 2023 SSA participant Ethan Shaw. Both panels offered valuable insights into TC Energy’s workplace culture, career pathways, and advice for aspiring STEM professionals. Students and staff also attended an Astros game, further building community.
The program concluded with an awards ceremony celebrating scholars’ achievements. Families, administrators, and instructors joined to recognize the students, with remarks from Stacey Warner, TC Energy Social Impact Advisor. Participants received certificates of completion and academic awards in honor of their accomplishments.
teachHOUSTON Updates
This summer, the teachHOUSTON team actively recruited students during NSM New Student Orientation sessions. Their efforts paid off— for the first time in several years, three sections of the Introduction to STEM Teaching course are being offered, with nearly 100 students enrolled.
NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Summit
Dr. Paige Evans and teachHOUSTON student Hasina Hai Hasan attended the AAAS and NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program Summit in Washington, D.C., July 14–16, 2025. They presented three posters highlighting NSF-funded initiatives: STEM-Lead, Advancing Cultural and Computational Engagement in STEM Scholars (UH-ACCESS), and Transforming STEM Professionals into STEM Teachers (STEMPro).
Rice Summer Campus Program
teachHOUSTON Master Teacher Cheryl Latiolais presented at the 39th Annual Rice School of Mathematics Project (RUSUMP) Summer Campus Program. The 60-hour professional development session engaged teachers from across Texas, focusing on high-quality mathematics instruction, technology integration, assessment, and strategies to motivate and support all students—especially underrepresented minorities in STEAM.
Welcoming New UH Students
On August 21–22, Master Teacher Ramona Matter met with new UH students in Cougar Village 2 to share information about NSM and teachHOUSTON. This outreach helped students build early connections with faculty and staff while learning about program opportunities.
International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching Conference
Drs. Paige Evans, Karen Graham McIntush, and Karla Adelina Garza attended the biennial ISATT Conference at the University of Glasgow. They presented on Urban STEM Mentor and Mentee Development: Exploring Self-Efficacy through Storied Experiences in Mentoring and Induction and Enhancing the Quality of STEM Education to Make It Ecologically Sound, Economically Viable, and Socially Just. The teachHOUSTON team proudly represented North America during the symposium.
Community of Practice Participation
On September 3, Dr. Karen Graham McIntush and Mrs. Ramona Mateer represented teachHOUSTON at the Houston Region Teacher Pipeline Community of Practice. Discussions focused on Texas House Bill 2, which directly affects funding for teacher preparation and certification programs.
Resume Review
Also on September 3, Dr. Karen Graham McIntush supported NSM students during the Fall 2025 Employer Resume Review, helping them prepare for the upcoming NSM Career Fair.