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Faculty Colloquium Series
“BenSTEMS Year One: Building Community, Belonging, and
Academic Success in STEM“
Presenters
Darya Aleinikava, PhD – Associate Professor, Physics
Brooks Maki, PhD – Associate Professor, Chemistry
Niina Ronkainen, PhD – Professor, Chemistry
Andrew Wig, PhD – Professor, Physics, Engineering
Ellen Ziliak, PhD – Dean of Faculty, Professor, Mathematics
Abstract
BenSTEMS is a National Science Foundation SSTEM-funded project designed to support academically talented, low-income, and Pell-eligible students pursuing degrees in the mathematical, computational, and physical sciences at Benedictine University. The program combines scholarships with evidence-based academic, mentoring, and community-building interventions to improve student retention, success, and graduation rates. This presentation will provide an overview of the project, including student eligibility, cohort-based programming, academic support, and professional development activities.
We will share insights from our planning year, including student participation, early outcomes, and lessons learned. Particular attention will be given to efforts aimed at strengthening students’ sense of belonging and STEM identity. We will also discuss challenges encountered, program refinements informed by first-year data, and plans for future years of the grant.
Thursday, Sept. 24
12:20-1:20 p.m.聽
Goodwin 321
Link to Access Teams Stream:
