Maria Valero | API Profile

Maria

Valero

Kennesaw State University

My Conference Goal:

Connect with researchers in the area and create meaningful partnerships.

My Project Goal:

This project aims to mitigate these problems by designing, developing, and locally implementing a Holistic Mentoring approach (HoMe) that will support transfer students from when still in community colleges to their graduation from four-year institutions. The proposed approach will be comprehensive and rely on existing transfer students, the advising teams, faculty, and industry advisory boards. HoMe will support students from academic, environmental, and personal standpoints. To make HoMe sustainable after the end of this project and reproducible in other institutions, the PIs will develop a critical infrastructure with all the material needed for peer, academic, and technical mentoring and to identify opportunities for transfer students.

Project Working Title:

HoMe: A Holistic Mentoring Approach to Support Transfer Students in Computing Disciplines Towards Success and Industry Preparedness

Project Idea or Description:

HoMe is a holistic mentoring approach tailored for community college transfer students that encompass a series of actions and strategies to accompany the student before,
during, and after the transfer process. The program has been designed to prepare, pilot, and evaluate strategies for peer mentoring, academic materials delivery, effective advising, and identification of opportunities designed explicitly for upward transfer students. The tools and the other proposed strategies will directly impact the students enrolled in the colleges participating in the pilot and will serve as a reference for many other institutions that want to improve the transfer and success process of upward students.

How will this idea advance broadening participation in computing?

The implementation of the HoMe mentoring approach has the potential to advance broadening participation in computing by providing targeted support to transfer students in the discipline. This comprehensive approach, which addresses academic, environmental, and personal aspects, recognizes the value of inclusivity and fosters a sense of belonging. The involvement of stakeholders such as transfer students, advising teams, faculty, and industry advisory boards ensures collaboration and creates a more diverse and industry-aligned computing community. Additionally, the project's focus on sustainability and reproducibility through critical infrastructure development allows for the adoption of the HoMe approach in other institutions, leading to a broader impact in increasing participation and success rates of transfer students in computing disciplines.

The implementation of the HoMe mentoring approach can be particularly beneficial for minority students in computing disciplines. The project acknowledges the importance of diversity and inclusion within the field by specifically targeting transfer students and addressing their unique challenges. By addressing barriers and fostering inclusivity, the HoMe mentoring approach contributes to breaking down systemic barriers and advancing the participation and success of minority students in computing disciplines.