Professor of Mathematics, Founding Director STEM Honors Program University of Hawaii at Hilo Hilo, Hawaii, United States
Program Abstract: In this presentation, we share a transformative, heart-centered model for student success in STEM at the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the nation’s most diverse campus. Our approach integrates traditional financial and academic support services with personalized academic and life coaching for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. This strategy has led to significant improvements in academic performance and retention. In our Scholarships for STEM (S-STEM) program, 100% of participants remained enrolled after their first year (vs. 61% nationwide), 85% graduated with a STEM degree in four years (vs. 45% nationwide in six years), and 60% graduated with honors.
Our STEM Honors program combines research opportunities and mentoring from top faculty, further promoting inclusive excellence and preparing our students for success after graduation. This session presents qualitative case studies illustrating how personalized support fosters inclusive excellence in STEM and offers an adaptable model for institutions seeking to support underrepresented students.
