BOARD # 69: Improving Student Retention Using Research Mentors

The Advancing Retention via Research Opportunities for Workforce Development in STEM (ARROWS) Project aims to boost minority women's participation in scientific and technological occupations. The ARROWS pipeline is an institutional initiative award that introduces academically outstanding female high school and undergraduate students to majors and jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This project includes an annual summer research effort that aims to attract and develop the next generation of female scientists, mathematicians, and technologists. When combined with partner programs such as Developing Advanced Research Through STEM (DARTS) and STEM Pathways for Success, these projects create a three-stage student success pipeline: (1) secondary education exposure, (2) college-level engagement, and (3) transition to graduate school or the technical workforce. We foster students' enthusiasm for STEM by providing immersive summer research experiences that improve competency in four national needs: artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), robotics/autonomy, cybersecurity, and data analytics, with a focus on hybrid learning environments [12]. Our mission is to address the ongoing difficulty of helping traditionally underprivileged and underrepresented student populations in STEM, such as women, minorities, and economically disadvantaged students [10]. As the world's biggest Historically Black College and University (HBCU), North Carolina A&T [11] is uniquely positioned academically, regionally, and culturally to accommodate these emerging demographics.