Proyecto Access Dashes into Semester Activities

by Moise Koffi, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department

Director, Proyecto Access  STEP/CSTEP

 The Proyecto Access Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) 2016 fall session will be running from September 24 through December 17, 2016. The program provides general tutoring in STEM and English courses to secondary school students at the Hostos Community College campus. Along with Chemistry, Living Environment, Physics, English and Research, eligible STEP participants are offered Regents Preparation in Common Core Algebra, Common Core Geometry, S.A.T and the Standardized High School Admission Test. Additionally, this fall, STEP partnered with the Astor Collegiate High School located in the Bronx to provide Robotics/Technology Workshops to 9th and 10th graders. Furthermore, the STEP Program is offering professional development training sessions on Saturdays in basic astronomy (NASA Afterschool Universe) to CSTEP participants, instructors and staff members for future implementation in partnering middle schools in the 2017 Spring semester.

 

The Proyecto Access Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) runs in the fall and spring semesters of the 2016-2017 academic year. The fall semester began with 96 CSTEP students including 23 new participants. The program will provide a total of 10 workshops/events on academic and professional development. These workshops and events include: (a) microbiology, (b) anatomy and physiology I/II, (c) probability and statistics, (d) collaborative workshop with STEM Institute in Mathematics & Science, (e) welcome back fair, (f) importance of research workshops, (g) career readiness workshop, (h) time management and test anxiety, (i) student transfer workshop with City College of New York (j) end-of-semester social. Beside the workshops, 8 Hostos CSTEP participants are currently conducting research with faculty from the Mathematics and Natural Sciences departments.

 

The program also provides tutorial services in math, science and computer programming for CSTEP students. Six CSTEP participants recently completed their internship tutoring STEP students in the summer program and 4 CSTEP students completed a summer internship in scientific computing and coding at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Other services include providing calculators, books for math/science courses, advisement sessions, and a loan system.

 

In closing, the Hostos Science and Technology Entry Program is pleased to announce that the program received an award increasing its funding in the amount of  $32,874 from the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to serve 32 additional students each year, from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2020.

 

Our institution is located in the South Bronx, New York, where most of our secondary school students are  underrepresented and/or economically disadvantaged. The additional funds will allow our STEP program  to serve an updated total headcount of 282 students with a total amount of $431,874 each year, increasing the number of minority participation in STEM, health careers and the licensed professions in our community.