Seven sophomores are leading the charge to make introductory STEM classes at Illinois State University more inclusive, accessible, and equitable.
These are the STEM Ambassadors, a group diverse in every way, from their backgrounds to their academic pursuits to their hobbies. One of them grows fungi. Another is in Gamma Phi Circus. One goes to silent discos where people dance to synchronized music listened to on wireless headphones.
“We all bring those different things to the table: the places we’re from, the experiences we had in high school, things like that,” said STEM Ambassador Dominika Brzegowy, a biology teacher education major from Palatine. “We’ve talked a lot about our experiences and documented what our first year here was like.”
The STEM Ambassadors are different in many ways, but they all share one thing in common: a drive to inspire positive change. Supported by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to conduct participatory action research wherein they share their own experiences—and gather accounts from their peers—the STEM Ambassadors seek to identify barriers to inclusivity and successful strategies to promote inclusive learning environments. They are paid researchers applying what they learn to improve the student experience for STEM students just getting started at Illinois State.
“There’s a feeling that STEM is only for people with like really high SAT scores, and that’s just not the case.”
—Dominika Brzegowy
“It’s a very self-driven group,” said STEM Education Specialist Matthew Hagaman, who mentors the group. “The team has worked well together in deciding how best to listen to students and support student success.”
Last spring, the Ambassadors conducted a survey of 33 students who were asked what advice they’d give future students, in addition to advice they’d give STEM faculty, administrators, and advisors. Responses were tracked and themes emerged, including common questions held by many of the respondents.
“A lot of it aligned with what I was experiencing myself, what I had heard from my friends,” said STEM Ambassador Rylie Swinford, an environmental science major from Bradley, Illinois.
The Ambassadors analyzed their data and ultimately decided on a plan of action. They launched ISUAnswers.org, an FAQ-style web resource, in August. It includes nearly 100 questions with links to campus resources included in answers.
Some entries are specific to STEM education, like, “Where can I go for math-specific tutoring?”
Others are more general and potentially helpful to students outside STEM, like, “What do I do if I lose my room key or Redbird card?”
The newly launched webpage has received 4,500 views and counting. The Ambassadors’ research continues through analysis of page views and clicks that indicate students’ most common areas of inquiry. “We are tracking which questions are being viewed, the frequency of what’s being viewed, as well as the kinds of questions that are being asked,” reported Hagaman. “Those are things that we will be able to analyze and hopefully share with administration, that these are the places that students have the greatest interest or the greatest struggles.”
Hagaman was happy to see ISUAnswers broadened beyond the scope of students in STEM disciplines. The Ambassadors said that was important to them.
“We want to advocate for students and help their voices be heard, because it can sometimes feel like your voice is getting lost. Students can go (to ISUAnswers) when they have questions,” said Swinford. “And it’s not just for STEM students. It’s for everyone.”
The Ambassadors’ work is continuing this fall with another survey, this one focused on student-faculty relationships. They’ll share what they find at the University Teaching & Learning Symposium in January.
Dr. Rebekka Darner is director of Illinois State’s Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology, and the principal investigator of the HHMI grant. She’s pleased with the early returns of the Ambassadors’ work, and she hopes the benefits of the program go both ways.
“We hope they really progress from first-year students to being leaders in their STEM departments,” Darner said. “They can really inform us how we can make long-lasting change before they (earn their degrees) and go out in the world.”
Though the impact of their work may not be felt on campus until after they walk across the commencement stage, the Ambassadors say their research is already having an impact on their futures. That’s especially true for Brzegowy, who plans to apply what she’s learned when she realizes her dream of becoming a teacher.
“We’ve been to high schools and college fairs, and you can see the hesitation in a lot of students when we ask them if they’re interested in STEM,” she said. “There’s a feeling that STEM is only for people with like really high SAT scores, and that’s just not the case. STEM not being accessible isn’t the discipline’s problem. It’s the people teaching it and making it available that aren’t making it accessible.
“Changing that is something that’s really important to me.”
