Connecting environmental engineers to the Klamath river via a placed based learning community

摘要

This innovative practice work in progress describes the Klamath Connection (KC) program at Humboldt State University (HSU). The KC Program is a place-based learning community designed to foster a sense of belonging to improve STEM first-year performance. Initiated through the California State University STEM Collaboratives project, the program is comprised of four high impact practices (a summer immersion, first-year seminar, modified gateway courses with block scheduling, and peer mentoring) woven around an interdisciplinary theme unique to our geographic location, the Klamath River Basin. Initially offered to HSU first-year students entering declared in one of four science majors, the Environmental Resources Engineering (ERE) program joined the KC for the `16/17' academic year as part of the second cohort. The second KC cohort self-report a heightened sense of belonging and stronger development of academic behaviors when compared to other first-year students in the same majors. KC ERE students had improved 1st term retention, GPA, and lower rates of academic probation. That same favorable comparison was seen for participants from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, but not for those from low-income backgrounds. This paper describes the modifications made to the KC program to include the ERE students and discusses preliminary results.