The OC STEM Team

Guided Pathways To Success in STEM (GPS)  

HSI STEM Title III federally funded grant 

OC STEM GPS provides proactive, integrated academic and non-cognitive support to students. This project will help our community members connect and commit to STEM pathways to achieve goals and ensure economic mobility. 

Oxnard College is a learning-centered institution that embraces academic excellence by providing multiple pathways to student success. 

 

The Future We See 

A crowd of tomorrow’s innovative STEM professionals will point to the Oxnard Plains as their childhood home and the birthplace of their professional passion.   

OC STEM alums go out into the world as STEM professionals seeking solutions and designing a better world.  They return to the nest to mentor the next generation of STEM innovators. 

 

The Path There 

OC STEM ensures that students of modest means who are first in their family to attend college achieve equitable academic, transfer, and career outcomes in STEM. 

OC STEM builds on years of success—139% increase in STEM Certificates and degrees earned by low-income, first-generation students.  91% increase in the number of low-income, first-generation students transferring to university. 21% increase in enrollment of low-income, first-generation STEM degree-seeking students.  

And we’ve only just begun. If you want to see our success, look at the OC STEM Alumni Association.  

 

Our Goals: 

  1. Learners from modest means: 

  • have a clear and well-worn path to increased postsecondary success in STEM 

  • are supported in greater and greater numbers to attain STEM degrees, transfer to university and become the next generation of STEM innovators. 

  1. OC STEM cements model articulation and transfer agreements in STEM with four-year institutions to reflect the growing reach of our STEM alums. This broadens the access points to STEM careers. 

 

Our Guiding Principles: 

  1. We believe STEM students carry courage and resiliency. This guiding light leads to breakthrough innovation that will change the world. 

  1. Eternal kindness and endless optimism are critical components of everything OC STEM does to increase a sense of belonging and value.  

  1. STEM innovation is: 

  • driven by a multiplicity of thought, backgrounds, and content expertise amongst collaborators. 

  • stewarded by individuals working together creatively.  Stories of STEM innovators often point to: opportunities for inspiration and engagement; mentors; support systems and timely guides and signposts revealing a path forward. 

  1. We lean on our experts to provide the best research and data available to guide our strategies in increasing retention, success, transfer, and degrees.  

  • A transformative and empowering environment is filled with safety and belonging, integrated support systems, positive developmental relationships, rich learning experiences and knowledge development, and development of skills, habits, and mindsets. 

Our Key Strategies:

  1. Develop and refine existing and new model articulations between OC, University of California system, California State University system and private four-year institutions.
  2. Create a STEM transfer and career counseling and advising position.
  3. Broadly and comprehensively communicate existing and new transfer and career pathways, including earnings.
  4. Leverage OC Alumni connections for increased transfer and career success.
  5. Embed transfer awareness, career exploration and industry student learning outcomes (SLOs) in STEM courses, labs, and experiences.