This presentation is from the 2018 NASPA Assessment and Persistence Annual Conference and provides an overview of the LiFT Scholars Program, a scholarship and support program for students who demonstrate financial need and are pursuing a career in the information technology (IT) fields from IUPUI and Ivy Tech Community College. This program now serves 140 students and not only helps build the students' professional networks in the IT field, but is also support the transfer pathways for Ivy Tech community college students, whom come from a variety of diverse backgrounds including: first-generation college students, military veterans, returning college students, refugee students, student parents, and more.

1. LIFT SCHOL ARS PROGRAM:
SUPPORTING THE NEXT
GENERATION OF
TECHNOLOGY LEADERS
Dr. Molly F. Morin & Dr. Mathew J. Palakal
IU School of Informatics and Computing IUPUI
NASPA Assessment and Persistence Conference – June 15, 2018

2. GOALS OF THIS SESSION
• Understand the unique needs of underrepresented and underserved students in
informatics/information technology (IT) fields
• Learn about the logistics needed to pilot and implement a scholarship/support program for
students pursuing future careers in the IT field
• Reflect upon the support systems in place at your own institution to support the retention,
persistence, and career readiness of underrepresented and underserved college students in
STEM fields
• Instill interest in promoting the career readiness of underrepresented and underserved
student populations in IT fields

3. AGENDA
• IUPUI and IvyTech Institutional Contexts
• History and mission of LiFT Scholars Program
• Overview of High Impact Practices (HIPs) implemented through the LiFT Scholars Program
• Discussion of Program Strengths and Opportunities for Growth
• Open discussion on HIPs to support underrepresented and underserved students in STEM
• Questions?

4. Gender
Men
Race
IT WORKFORCE: OPPORTUNITIES & THE GAP

5. W H AT A R E S O M E O F T H E
U N I Q U E N E E D S O F
U N D E R R E P R E S E N T E D A N D
U N D E R S E R V E D S T U D E N T S
I N S T E M ?

6. WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE UNIQUE
STRENGTHS
UNDERREPRESENTED
AND UNDERSERVED
STUDENTS BRING TO
HIGHER EDUCATION?

7. • Independent
• Resilient
• Hardworking
• Ambitious
• Responsible
• Family-oriented/collaborative
• Able to balance multiple
responsibilities/roles
• Strong perseverance orientation
• Navigate the unknown
Too frequently underrepresented and underserved students are researched
through a deficit lens, focusing on what these students lack and need, but
we also need to move forward to focus on the strengths these students
bring with them to the college/university environment!
Strengths of Underrepresented and
Underserved College Students

8. THE LIFT SCHOLARS PROGRAM
• An NSF S-STEM grant-funded scholarship and
support program for incoming freshman
students at IUPUI & and incoming/continuing
students at IvyTech who demonstrate financial
need
• Serving students pursuing a major in informatics
and computing
• First cohort began in Fall 2017 ☺ recruiting Fall
2018 cohort
• Selected students can receive an unmet need
scholarship award that averages $7,500/year at
IUPUI and $2,500/year at IvyTech

9. IUPUI INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
• Established: 1969
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 21, 610
• 39% of students receive pell grants
• IUPUI student demographics:
– 56% are female, 44% are male
– 27% of beginners are students of color

10. IUPUI SCHOOL OF INFORMATICS
AND COMPUTING CONTEXT
• SoIC undergraduate student enrollment: 696
• Student enrollment in B.S. informatics: 221
• 85% of B.S. informatics students enroll full-time
– 80% of all undergraduate students at IUPUI
enroll full-time

11. IVY TECH INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
• Established: 1963
• Indiana’s only community college (40 locations
across the state)
• 7% of students on a two-year track pattern
• 28% of students transfer without completing a
credential, 5% earn a credential and transfer
• 55% of students receive pell grants
• IvyTech student demographics:
– 57% are female, 43% are male
– 22% of students are students of color

12. IVY TECH SCHOOL OF
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONTEXT
• School of InformationTechnology enrollment in
Central Indiana: 1,029
• 40% of students pursuing an associate’s degree in the
School of InformaticsTechnology enroll full-time
– 35% of all IvyTech students enroll full-time

13. LIFT SCHOLARS DEMOGRAPHICS
IUPUI LiFT Scholars 2017-2018 Cohort
n = 16 at end of Spring 2018
2018-2019 Future Cohort
n = 18 as of today
Sex Male: 15
Female: 1
Male: 9
Female: 9
Race/ethnicity Black/African-American: 1
Latino/Hispanic: 3
White: 12
Black/African-American: 6
Latino/Hispanic: 6
White: 4
Multiracial: 2
IvyTech LiFT Scholars 2017-2018 Cohort
n = 18 at end of Spring 2018
Sex Male: 11
Female: 7
Race/ethnicity Black/African-American: 7
Asian: 2
White: 7
Multiracial: 2

14. LIFT LEADERSHIP TEAM
Melvin Campos & Amanda Echegaray
Peer Mentors/Student Assistants
Mathew Palakal, Ph.D.
Executive Associate Dean, SoIC, IUPUI
Principal Investigator forLiFT Scholars Program
Kim S. Nguyen, Ed.D.
Director For Statewide & Regional Collaborations, STEM Education
Innovation& Research Institute (SEIRI), IUPUI, Co- -Principal
Investigator
Cathy Buyarski, Ph.D.
Executive Associate Dean,University College, IUPUI
Leadership Team Member
Louie Zhu, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer for Informatics, Associate Director for the
Informatics Undergraduate Program, IUPUI
-
Molly F. Morin, Ph.D.
Program Manager, LiFT Scholars Program
Michele J. Hansen, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice Chancellor Institutional Research & Decision Support,
IUPUI, Co-Principal Investigator
Kirk Armstro ng Ed.D., LAT, ATC
Professional Athletic Training Program Director & Associate
Professor, Department of Applied Medicine & Rehabilitation,
Indiana State University, External Evaluator
-
Gregory Leigh
AssistantProfessor for School of Information Technology & Head
Coach Men's Basketball, Ivy Tech Community College, Co--Principal
Investigator

15. LIFT SCHOLARS PROGRAM
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Advisory Council Chair

16. Workforce or
prior college
enrollment
iDEW students and
other high school
graduates recruited
for the program
Ivy Tech
Community
College -
Indianapolis
IT workforce
after Associate’s
Degree
completion
Ivy Tech students
pursuing an
associate’s in
Informatics can
transfer to IUPUI
SoIC
IUPUI - SoIC
IT workforce
after Bachelor’s
Degree
completion
Graduate School
and Research
Training
Industry
Engagement
Community Building
Leadership and Career
Development
Advising and
Mentoring
Research Experiences
IT Workforce Ready
Communication
and Research
Skills
Self-Efficacy
Career
Readiness

17. LIFT
SCHOLARS
PROGRAM
FEATURES
Curricular
Summer Bridge
Program
Learning
Community
Project-Based
Learning
Graduate School
Preparation
Undergraduate
Research
Opportunities
Co-Curricular
Residence-Based
Learning Community
Service Learning
Industry Speakers
and Industry Field
Trips
Industry
Certification
Industry Internship
Career Seminars on
Job Searching and
Placement

18. LIFT SCHOLARS PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA – WHO CAN APPLY?
• Must be a current graduating high school senior at the time of their
application for IUPUI (can be a new or current student for Ivy Tech with
at least two fall/spring semesters remaining)
• Must pursue the bachelor’s degree in Informatics at IUPUI or any
associate’s degree in the School of Information Technology at Ivy Tech
• All students must enroll full-time (minimum of 12 credit hours each
semester) in college-level coursework
• Must be a U.S citizen or eligible noncitizen (as defined by FAFSA)
• Must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Must demonstrate financial need as defined by the U.S. Department of
Education’s criteria for need-based federal financial aid

19. ASSOCIATE’S DEGREES
IN INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY AT
• Computer Science
• Cyber Security-Information Assurance
• Database Management and Administration
• Informatics*
• Information Technology Support
• Network Infrastructure
• Server Administration
• Software Development
Academic Pathways of LiFT Scholars
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
IN INFORMATICS AT
*transfer pathway

20. LIFT SCHOLARS PROGRAM
RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PROCESS
• Once the Financial Aid Office verifies student eligibility, eligible students will complete an online
application OR submit the application by email or postal mail
– Students will submit one letter of recommendation from a teacher or high school counselor
• A scholarship selection committee will then review applications on a rolling basis until capacity is
reached
– Focus on academic potential, commitment to informatics, leadership and service
• Applicants may then be contacted for an interview with members of the scholarship selection
committee
– Focus on potential to benefit from the LiFT Scholars Program
• Students will then be notified of their application status: selected, alternate, not selected

21. INCOMING LIFT SCHOLARS
• Receive a notice of congratulations indicated the
amount of their LiFT scholarship award and LiFT
Scholars Program expectations
• Selected student electronically sign their LiFT
Scholars Program – Scholars Commitment via
Google Forms to accept the offer which will ask
them to commit to program expectations
• IvyTech and IUPUI LiFT scholars will participate in
a LiFT Scholars Program Orientation
– Format varies based on recruitment timeline

22. SUMMER BRIDGE – IUPUI
• 8 day experience, campus-wide, part of course requirements INFO-I 100
• Provides knowledge of campus resources for a successful transition into college
• Offers an opportunity to begin exploring academic and career opportunities in the informatics
and computing field by developing an academic plan to guide their undergraduate studies
• Affords students a venue to acquire working experience in HTML
• Fosters a sense of community among incoming LiFT, SoIC, and IUPUI students

23. LEARNING COMMUNITY – IUPUI
• Staple of cohort experience
• Collaboration with academic advisors and
department chair to reserve spaces in core
informatics courses
• 1-3 courses taken together each semester
– Transfer students are also included in
this learning community upon transfer

24. RESIDENCE BASED LEARNING
COMMUNITY (RBLC) – IUPUI
• Vision of RBLC:
– Gain additional insight into their academic area through RBLC initiatives
– Establish connections within the IUPUI community by networking with peers with shared interests
– Demonstrate transferable skills developed while participating in RBLC activities
• Perks of SoIC RBLC:
– Guaranteed placement in SoIC Summer Bridge (for freshmen)
– Advisors come to the SoIC Community for early registration sessions
– Study break parties only for the SoIC RBLC residents
– Activities focused on tutoring, career research, and social interaction

25. INDUSTRY FIELD TRIPS AND SPEAKERS
• Field trips:
– Minimum 3-hour experience
– Hands-on exposure to local IT
companies, work projects, and
current professionals
• Speakers:
– 60-minute session
• Opportunity to learn about the culture
and mission of IT companies and/or
companies that hire IT professionals
• Space for IT professionals to share about
the nature of their work
• Venue to learn about career/internship
opportunities for students in IT

26. PEER MENTORING AND REGULAR
CHECK-INS/SOCIALS
• Current IUPUI students, now current LiFT
scholars
• Check-in with Program Manager twice a
semester during first year and once a
semester in following semesters; as well as
needed any time!
• Peer mentors plan social activities and
available as needed any time to students!

27. FUTURE:
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
• IUPUI students identify a faculty mentor and work with their mentor to write a proposal for a
substantive research project to be completed during the academic year (fall and spring semester)
or the summer (8-9 weeks).
• Benefits:
– Student stipend for fall/spring: $1,000
• 25 hours/month October-April
– Student stipend for summer: $3,200
• 40 hours/week June/July
• Eligibility:
– 2.8 cumulative GPA or higher
– Full-time undergraduate student

28. SPMS (STUDENT PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) SOFTWARE
• Outlet to communicate co-
curricular event details
• Ability to track student
progress in co-curricular
activities and courses
(through Canvas)
• Allows for timely
support/intervention
• Collects student feedback to
shape future programming

29. PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
• Pre-/post-survey each year
– Assessing changes in sense of belonging, resilience, grit, growth mindset, and self-
efficacy in informatics and computing over time
• Pre-/post-focus groups facilitated by external evaluator
• Satisfaction surveys on co-curricular activities

30. PROGRAM STRENGTHS FROM
EXTERNAL EVALUATION
• Utilization of available resources
– Living-learning community support
– Academic support resources
– Peer mentors
• Engagement with industry professionals
– Private, public, start-ups
– Connections with recent IT graduates
• Pride in the LiFT Scholars Program
– Dedicated students, leadership

31. PILOT YEAR PROGRAM DETAILS
*Students withdrew from the institution for
personal and medical reasons
**Students will take a semester off from the
institution due to personal reasons and
intend to return in the future
Institution # of
Students
Fall ‘17
Fall 2017 to
Spring 2018
Persistence
# of
Students
Spring ‘18
Spring 2018
to Fall 2018
Persistence
IUPUI 18 89%* 16 100%
IvyTech 2 50%* 18 83%**
Five students are
engaging in the Xtern
Bootcamp through
TechPoint this summer

32. GROWING PAINS
• Grant approval ≠ guaranteed successful
implementation
• Free money ≠ a large pool of eligible students
will apply
• Navigating institutional politics to secure data
and resources necessary for program
implementation
• Lack of fiscal resources for certain program
elements (e.g., food, conference funding)

33. IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS
• Must involve street-level administrators during grant-writing stages to ensure
successful implementation
• Collaborate with campus partners to avoid meeting fatigue among students
• Continue to modify programmatic pieces along the way regardless of how the grant
was written – documenting changes along the way
• Program implementation is ever-changing, adaptability is critical!
• Set realistic, attainable goals!

34. OPEN
DISCUSSION
&
SHARING
PROMISING
PRACTICES
• What HIPs/interventions do you implement
at your institution to support the
persistence of underrepresented and
underserved students?
– Which one(s) have the greatest impact?
• Any advice or guidance on our future
directions?
• What considerations should we keep in
mind when seeking to support
underrepresented and underserved students
in STEM higher education?

35. FUTURE DIRECTIONS
• Continuing to adapt eligibility criteria, recruitment
strategies, and programming support based on
student needs
• Strengthening engagement between IUPUI and Ivy
Tech LiFT scholars
• Build support network of industry partners
• Explore industry-relevant certification
opportunities
• Identify undergraduate research opportunities
• Fundraise for conference travel for students
• Long-term goals:
– Support 60 bachelor’s degree and 80 associate’s
degree graduates who will enter the IT work
force by 2022

36. T H A N K Y O U
QUESTIONS?