Indiana University Northwest received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and Articulation Program.
The grant helped the university apply to become a federally designated HSI with the aim to increase the number of Northwest Indiana students graduating with bachelor’s degrees in STEM.
Since receiving the commission in 2021, IU Northwest has initiated several programs, including TRIUNFOS (Transforming IU Northwest for Opportunities in STEM), which led to the creation of a STEM Center.
On November 29, IU Northwest and Ivy Tech revealed the co-branded STEM Center on the second floor of the Anderson Library.
The center is a resource for students from both campuses to learn, grow, and prepare for successful STEM careers.
It serves as a place for STEM students from both colleges to learn, connect, and take advantage of internships, peer mentoring, and leadership opportunities both on- and off-campus.
The STEM Center is a tangible outcome of TRIUNFOS, which was created thanks to a team of IU Northwest faculty and staff, including Director of Sponsored Research Sandra J. McMullen and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Vicki Román-Lagunas, along with an interdisciplinary team of STEM faculty and administrators.
The team includes Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and Principal Investigator, Dr. Kristin Huysken, Associate Professor of Biology and STEM Center Coordinator, Dr. Jenny Fisher, and Professor of Mathematics Dr. Vesna Kilibarda.
TRIUNFOS and INVEST (Inspiring, Valuing, and Empowering Success Together) have funded 47 faculty members in effective teaching and active learning practices, including a joint cohort with IUN and Ivy Tech STEM faculty.
Participating IUN faculty have seen a measurable decrease in DFW rates (students who finish a course with a D, F, or withdrawal), increases in average course GPAs, and reduced achievement gaps for all students.
The TRIUNFOS program highlights include building innovative curriculum and student research experiences beginning as early as a student’s first year of college, wrap-around academic and student support services in STEM, and new and enhanced partnerships with high schools, colleges, and area employers.
Through this, IU Northwest and Ivy Tech hope to increase retention and graduation for STEM students, creating a student experience of belonging, engagement, and completion for all students.
The goal is to increase the number of students who transfer from community colleges to complete their degrees in IU Northwest’s STEM programs.
IU Northwest and @IvyTechLakeCo unveiled the new co-branded STEM Center, which will serve as a collaborative resource for students from both schools pursuing STEM careers.
Read more: https://t.co/rhTpx9StdF pic.twitter.com/nrnVZMDQlu
— IU Northwest (IUN) (@iunorthwest) December 5, 2023
As you start classes, remember our libraries and tutoring centers are here to help! #ivytechlibrary #ivytechtutoring pic.twitter.com/lOU3eKiFFZ
— Ivy Tech Lake County (@IvyTechLakeCo) August 24, 2023
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