InSciTE: An Equity-Based Approach to STEM Education at Central Michigan University

Program Abstract: At Central Michigan University, the College of Science and Engineering started in 2023 a new undergraduate program called InSciTE (Integration of Science, Technology and Engineering) to provide diverse students with an interdisciplinary space to explore STEM challenges and solutions. Designed as a 15-credit certificate to complement existing majors, InSciTE consists of five skill-based courses taken over a four-year period as a cohort. Each course is centered around students acquiring transferable skills (including collaboration, communication, data and time management), with students driving the actual content of the course based on their interests. In this session, we will present a summary of the program creation and implementation before highlighting key equitable practices at the core of the InSciTE pedagogical approach. We will share key findings from the assessment of the program during the presentation with a lens of transferring this work to other institutions.