Increasing Retention through a College Bridge Program for Underrepresented Students in STEM

The University of Minnesota (UMD) Math Prep for STEM Careers is a no-cost-to-the-student summer bridge program offered to freshmen from underrepresented groups in STEM (American Indian, African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, and Latino/Chicano; women interested in computer science, engineering, or physics; low-income students; first generation college students, veterans, non-traditional students).  The program consists informal online math classes prerequisite to Calculus I (Basic Math and Intro to Algebra, College Algebra, or Precalculus Analysis) over the summer and an optional five-day STEM camp.  Breckenridge has run the program since summer 2013 with the assistance of grants and institutional aid.  The 1st to 2nd yr retention in STEM for students in this program is 95% compared to 83% of all students, 66% for women, and 70% for ethnic minorities.  The program has also seen its first 4-yr graduates,  served as a feeder for our AISES chapter, and inspired new mentoring programs.