Reimagining STEM Student Success

The higher education STEM ecosystem is shaped by decentralized infrastructures leading to questions of what STEM is, and institutional practices that predetermine who belongs. These misaligned structures lead to issues that small-scale, isolated interventions cannot fix. This opening session of the series urges a paradigm shift away from piecemeal interventions toward institutional transformation at scale, and will set the framework for future sessions addressing various factors impacting STEM student success.

Featuring:  

• Heather McCambly, Associate Professor of Critical Higher Education Policy, University of Pittsburgh

• Aireale J. Rodgers, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Organizational change for student success begins well before college. Join campus leaders and experts for an in-depth look at the K-12 and pre-college STEM ecosystem in Michigan that shapes students' pathways long before they enter higher education. This session connects research to practice by examining the current status of STEM education in the state, lessons learned from U-M's Wolverine Pathways program, and identifying concrete opportunities to deepen U-M’s contribution toward sustained institutional and statewide impact.

Featuring:

• Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Jessie Jean Storey-Fry Distinguished University Professor of Education, University of Michigan

• Carla O’Connor, Director, Wolverine Pathways and University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor, University of Michigan

This session will explore equity-centered approaches to advising and academic support using the Inclusive Professional Framework for Advising as a guide. You’ll learn about the framework from one of its authors and hear examples of equity-centered approaches being applied in the University of Michigan’s Science Learning Center and the Engineering Center for Academic Success. Join us for tips about applying equity-based approaches in your own advising, coaching, mentoring, or tutoring practice.

Featuring:

• Selyna Pérez Beverly, Assistant Professor, Higher Education and Student Affairs, Eastern Michigan University

• Joe Salvatore, Director, Science Learning Center, University of Michigan

• Susan Montgomery, Academic Coach, Engineering Center for Academic Success, University of Michigan

Student success in STEM depends on more than preparation and performance; it grows where students feel seen, connected, and capable. Drawing on research in equity, belonging, mentoring, and inclusive research, this session will explore how institutions can create connected systems of support. Featuring Michigan’s HSSP, WISE-RP, and UROP, the workshop centers student and mentor voices to reveal practices that affirm strengths across living, learning, and research — and empower every student to belong, flourish, and imagine who they can become.

Featuring:

• Brian Burt, Professor of Higher Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Rosie Perez, Associate Professor of Higher Education, University of Michigan

This session reframes faculty development from isolated instructional training into a strategic, organization-wide process that transforms institutional culture and departmental structures. Participants will explore how systemic faculty development serves as a primary lever for change by aligning pedagogical practices, departmental policies, and leadership norms with inclusive student outcomes. This session connects research to guide concrete strategies for faculty and department leaders to embed sustainable institutional equity across our STEM disciplines.

Featuring:

• Demetri Morgan, Associate Professor of Higher Education, University of Michigan