Millikin University

INSTITUTIONAL PORTION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND FORMULA GRANTS AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 18004(A)(1) OF THE CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS TO STUDENTS UNDER THE CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY: ADDRESS: 1184 W. MAIN ST. DECATUR, IL 62522-2039 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: RUBY JAMES, VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS: (217) 424-5071 EMAIL ADDRESS: RUBYJAMES@MILLIKIN.EDU WEBSITE ADDRESS: HTTPS://MILLIKIN.EDU/ WITH CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED FUNDING, MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY SEEKS TO PROVIDE THE SCHOOL OF NURSING ITS OWN DEDICATED BUILDING TO CREATE FACULTY OFFICES, CLASSROOMS, AND CLINICAL AND SIMULATION LABORATORIES THAT WILL MIRROR MEDICAL OFFICES AND HOSPITAL PATIENT ROOMS. THESE ADVANCEMENTS WILL INCLUDE A CONTROL ROOM IN WHICH FACULTY CAN MONITOR A NURSE-PATIENT SIMULATION VIA COMPUTER AND USE A MICROPHONE TO TALK TO STUDENTS AS THEY WORK. THIS RENOVATION WILL ALSO INCLUDE PRE-BRIEF, SIMULATION, AND DEBRIEF AREAS AS WELL AS CAMERAS AND RECORDING EQUIPMENT SO THAT STUDENT PERFORMANCES DURING THE SIMULATION CAN BE OBSERVED AND REVIEWED BY INSTRUCTORS AND CLASSMATES. TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALIFIED STUDENTS AND FACULTY, AS WELL AS REMAIN ABREAST OF BEST STANDARDS OF PRACTICE IN SIMULATION EDUCATION, THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED TO UPGRADE CURRENT EQUIPMENT AND CREATE DEDICATED SIMULATION ENVIRONMENTS AT MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS. FURTHER ENHANCEMENT OF OUR FACILITIES WILL NOT ONLY ALLOW STUDENTS TO BE EXPOSED TO A REALISTIC, BUT ALSO AN INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR ABILITY TO TAKE PART AND EXCEL IN HANDS-ON PERFORMANCE LEARNING, A HALLMARK OF THE UNIVERSITY. A DEDICATED FACILITY WILL ENHANCE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND OUTCOMES, IMPROVE FACULTY AND STAFF EFFICIENCY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND INCREASE OVERALL COLLABORATION. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES TWO CRITICAL PROBLEMS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS: THE PROJECTED NURSING SHORTAGE AND THE EXODUS OF COLLEGE-BOUND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO OUT-OF-STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. A NEW FACILITY WITH UP-TO-DATE CLINICAL AND SIMULATION LABORATORIES WILL ADDRESS THE NEED FOR NURSES AND CREATE A STRONG PIPELINE OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FOR OUR VALUED CO MMUNITY PARTNERS, AS WELL AS OTHER HOSPITALS AND CLINICAL SETTINGS ACROSS CENTRAL ILLINOIS. THESE MUCH-NEEDED TECHNOLOGICAL UPGRADES WILL ALSO HELP ATTRACT AND ENCOURAGE COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS, BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND NONTRADITIONAL, TO STAY IN ILLINOIS FOR THEIR EDUCATION.

DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE OF EDUCATION

BIG BLUE STEM SCHOLARS: ENHANCING STEM OUTCOMES THROUGH A LEARNING COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY -THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL NEED FOR WELL-EDUCATED SCIENTISTS, MATHEMATICIANS, ENGINEERS, AND TECHNICIANS BY SUPPORTING THE RETENTION AND GRADUATION OF HIGH-ACHIEVING, LOW-INCOME STUDENTS WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED AT MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY. OVER ITS SIX-YEAR DURATION, THIS PROJECT WILL FUND SCHOLARSHIPS TO AT LEAST 15 UNIQUE FULL-TIME FIRST-YEAR OR TRANSFER STUDENTS WHO ARE PURSUING BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, COMPUTER SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, OR PHYSICS. FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS. TRANSFER STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE TWO- OR THREE-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS DEPENDING ON THE TIME NECESSARY FOR DEGREE COMPLETION. THE PROJECT AIMS TO INCREASE STUDENT RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES BY EMPHASIZING EVIDENCE-BASED SUPPORTS DURING THE 1ST AND 2ND YEARS OF COLLEGIATE STUDY. SUPPORTS INCLUDE FORMING A LEARNING COMMUNITY, ORIENTATION, FACULTY MENTORING, COHORT COURSES, AND BUILDING PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY THROUGH UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH STEM PROFESSIONALS. MILLIKIN'S PROSPECTIVE SCHOLARS INCLUDE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE STUDENT AND STUDENTS FROM GROUPS UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM, THUS DIVERSIFYING AND STRENGTHENING THE STEM WORKFORCE BY INCREASING THE PARTICIPATION OF UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUALS AND HELPING TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP IN STEM. MOREOVER, THE PROJECT IS ANTICIPATED TO POSITIVELY IMPACT ADDITIONAL STEM MAJORS AND FACULTY THROUGH THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH PARTICIPANT SUPPORTS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH THE EVALUATION OF SUPPORTS, IMPORTANTLY, THE PROJECT WILL IMPACT STEM RETENTION AND GRADUATION AT SIMILARLY FOCUSED REGIONAL PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE STEM DEGREE COMPLETION OF LOW-INCOME, HIGH-ACHIEVING UNDERGRADUATES WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED. SPECIFICALLY, IT WILL FACILITATE THE OBTAINMENT OF B.S. DEGREES IN BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, COMPUTER SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND PHYSICS SO STUDENTS MAY PURSUE SUCCESSFUL STEM CAREERS AND HELP MEET THE CRITICAL NATIONAL DEMAND FOR STEM PROFESSIONALS. FIFTEEN STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE AN ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP AS BIG BLUE STEM SCHOLARS TO COVER ALL UNMET NEED. IMPORTANTLY, SCHOLARSHIPS WILL BE PROVIDED TO SCHOLARS IN GOOD STANDING UNTIL THEY GRADUATE. SINCE MILLIKIN'S INSTITUTIONAL DATA INDICATES RETENTION FROM YEAR 1 TO YEAR 2 IS A STRONG PREDICTOR OF PERSISTENCE IN STEM FIELDS FOR ITS DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION, THIS PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO EMPHASIZE EARLY-STAGE INTERVENTIONS, PRIMARILY DURING YEARS 1 AND 2 FOR EACH COHORT. THE BIG BLUE STEM SCHOLARS PROJECT RELIES ON BUILDING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND STEM IDENTITY THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED SUPPORTS TARGETED AT IMPROVING STUDENT PERSISTENCE, RETENTION, AND GRADUATION. THE GOAL IS TO FORM A LEARNING COMMUNITY COHORT AND BUILD SCHOLAR PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY THROUGH UNIVERSITY ORIENTATION, TAILORED COURSES WITH ELEMENTS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, DEDICATED ACADEMIC SUPPORTS SUCH AS REGULAR SCHOLAR-FACULTY MENTORING, UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, STUDENT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND CAREER PREPARATION. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE EFFORTS WILL BE STUDIED THROUGH ANNUAL EVALUATION OF INSTITUTIONAL DATA, ONLINE SURVEYS, INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS, AND FOCUS GROUPS. PROJECT RESULTS WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY'S BIG BLUE STEM SCHOLARS WEBSITE, CONFERENCES, AND PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY NSF'S SCHOLARSHIPS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LOW-INCOME ACADEMICALLY TALENTED STUDENTS WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED WHO EARN DEGREES IN STEM FIELDS. IT ALSO AIMS TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION OF FUTURE STEM WORKERS AND TO GENERATE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ACADEMIC SUCCESS, RETENTION, TRANSFER, GRADUATION, AND ACADEMIC/CAREER PATHWAYS OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

EARMARKS

MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY GREAT START-GREAT FINISH COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM: A TRIO STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

NURSE ANESTHETIST TRAINEESHIPS

NURSE ANESTHETIST TRAINEESHIPS

NURSE ANESTHETIST TRAINEESHIPS

NURSE ANESTHETIST TRAINEESHIPS

NURSE ANESTHETIST TRAINEESHIPS

NURSE ANESTHETIST TRAINEESHIPS

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIP