Undergraduate Research
There’s an old saying: What a difference a day makes. But what could a forward-looking institution do with 730 of them that could make a unique, positive difference in their students’ classroom experiences? That was the challenge faced by the leadership team at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) in 2020. In a meeting with newly hired President Andy Bowne, the team discussed the college’s next steps on a key initiative started by the previous president: demonstrating the college’s commitment to undergraduate research and STEM preparation for its students.
JCCC’s highly credentialed...
Environmental Science is a gateway class for environmental programs offered at Delta College. In the past, students taking this course were enrolled in the Environmental Science program. However, in fall 2022, my first semester teaching the class, students were enrolled to fulfill a general education requirement. At the end of class on day one, I began to reflect upon how to keep these students interested in a course that most of them had saved for last and dreaded taking. The development of a project that would get students excited about science and allow them to find value in the subject...
