The National Science Foundation Logo.
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By Catherine Diakou & Barbara Vasquez, Staff Writer & Asst. Production Editor
Manhattan College has officially been chosen to receive the National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to implement a STEM Teaching and Learning Experience Center at the college as of April 4.
Dean of Kakos School of Arts and Sciences Marcy Kelly, Ph.D., spoke on the grant in an article on the Manhattan College website.
“The NSF [National Science Foundation] grant, through the establishment of the Teaching and Learning Center, will embrace conversations on scholarly teaching methods; spotlight support on the best ways to teach first-year students in science, particularly those students from under-resourced high schools; and build a strong feeling of community among science students from diverse backgrounds,” Kelly said in a statement on manhattan.edu.
The grant focuses on providing better educational opportunities for college students in beginner-level classes, particularly for students who come from underprivileged high schools.
As dean, Kelly is the principal investigator (PI) for the NSF grant. In her role as PI, she ensures that the grant is used appropriately. Co-PI’s of the grant include Sarah Wacker, Ph.D., and Gerardo Carfagno, Ph.D.
Carfagno, an associate professor of biology, teaches many introductory courses to the subject, similar to Wacker, who is an assistant professor in the departments of chemistry and biochemistry. Due to their experience teaching these introductory courses, as well as their shared involvement in a teaching and learning ambassadors program, they were chosen to be the co-PIs of the grant.
“I became involved both due to the fact that I had been a teaching and learning ambassador and that I’m the course coordinator for the general chemistry sequence here at Manhattan College,” Wacker said. “[The program] was a really dynamic community where we thought about active learning practices and how to incorporate them more into our classrooms.”
The program that took place last summer was essentially a test to figure out which teaching strategies worked best for new students. After the success it’s had, the professors involved will go on to share these strategies with other science professors.
“We were kind of like the pilot group – it was just the handful of us,” said Carfagno. “Dr. Kelly hopes to have new faculty integrated every summer, so that we spread the news to as many people as possible. So, myself and Dr. Wacker are supposed to help lead this coming summer session based on what we learned last summer.”
With this new grant, new faculty could potentially be implemented to help students in these science courses.
“The other part of this [the grant] is that it has also helped to fund supplemental instructors,” Carfagno said. “I feel like I never have enough time in the classroom to help the students that are struggling. And so, by being able to pay a dedicated person– typically a former student that was successful– to be able to hold additional hours to tutor people or hold study sessions, especially in the first year of class, I think that’s really important.”
The dean also commented on the opportunities this grant opens up for the community.
“Having the resources that this grant provides gives us the opportunity to train additional faculty in exploring and adopting exciting best teaching practices,” Kelly said in a statement to manhattan.edu. “Of course, our students remain at the center of all that we as educators do, and it is they who will advance and become successful based on the receipt of these best teaching practices.”
MC only recently received this NSF grant, but the college’s professors are already hard at work trying to ensure that students see increased success with it. This dedication to student success is why Carfagno believes MC was chosen to be awarded.
“I think what made us stand out was probably the commitment by faculty to do what we think is best for the students,” said Carfagno. “And that’s why I’m in school- because I have a passion for teaching and I want to help my students and I think that’s what they’re looking for. Looking to invest in programs where faculty might make a difference for the lives of their students. And since our mission is to help students achieve their dreams in terms of future professions and that kind of thing, especially from underserved populations, I think we’re a perfect place for that.”