Session X5: Building an Inclusive STEM Community - The ACCESS Network

CU Prime Diversity Workshops: Creating Spaces for Growth Amongst Organizers

CU Prime is a graduate student run organization that was created as a way to promote community and inclusion amongst students in CU Physics Department. With a mission to improve the experiences of students, especially those underrepresented in the department and field, the core organizers developed three programs: a seminar series, a class, and a mentorship program. However, because this is strictly volunteer time for most organizers, there is little time for development and growth as a group. In response, we developed a series of diversity workshops for the group, in order to provide space and time for organizers to reflect on and grapple with difficult issues around diversity and inclusion that are important to think about when running these programs. With a structure based on readings, informal videos, and reflection, there have been 5 workshops around topics ranging from gender in physics to how to be an ally. We overview the structure and framing of these workshops, along with the challenges and successes throughout the process of developing them, along with plans for future development.   

Promoting student ownership of university science programs: towards building a more equitable scientific educational experience

Sundial is an organization at Arizona State University that is a collaborative effort of both students and faculty to create a supportive and diverse community within the physical sciences. Sundial is a member of the Access Network of emerging programs aimed at fostering student success and promoting diversity across the country. ASU’s commitment to being an inclusive campus results in a unique population of participants with a broad range of academic preparedness. Sundial aims to offer holistic support to these students by offering a research class, summer bridge program, mentoring, outreach, and social programs. Sundial has achieved retention rates that are higher than for students not in the program. In this talk, the strategies used by Sundial to achieve these results will be presented, alongside data about students experiences in the program. A recent study of the mentoring program shows that mentors create important psychosocial and academic support for students; topics discussed amongst mentoring groups include coursework, stress, and campus opportunities. Students also report feeling supported and listened to as a result of mentoring. In addition, Sundial students viewed the summer bridge program as helping them form social connections and increase academic confidence.