Here’s a detailed look at Rowan University’s contributions and role in advancing STEM education. If you want to focus on a specific area (e.g. K-12 outreach, underrepresented populations, research, teacher training), I can zoom in further.
Key Ways Rowan Advances STEM Education
1. Pre-college and K-12 Outreach Programs
- The Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering runs community outreach programs: multi-day summer camps for middle and high school students (e.g. AWE “Attracting Women into Engineering”, BEST, RISE HS) to introduce engineering and STEM concepts early. (Rowan College of Engineering)
- CREATES (a Rowan facility) hosts the National Summer Transportation Institute, which introduces high school students to transportation engineering and related STEM careers. (Rowan Creates)
- There’s also the STEM Center which offers workshops and events for K-12 students and teachers, supporting both early exposure and continuing teacher development. (Rowan Online)
These kinds of programs help build the STEM pipeline, spark interest, and lower barriers for students who might not otherwise have access or exposure.
2. Support for Underrepresented Populations
- STAR Academy and ASCEND: Rowan runs the STAR Academy, a pre-college institute for incoming freshmen from underrepresented populations. It provides academic support, mentoring, leadership development, and even engineering tracks. (Rowan Today)
- NSF’s Noyce-funded initiative: “South Jersey STEM Education Scholars,” aimed at recruiting and supporting STEM teachers from underrepresented groups, particularly in high-need school districts. Scholarships, teacher residency, and professional support are components. (Rowan Today)
- ADVANCE grant: Work to measure and address equity and inclusion for women faculty in STEM (including women of color, other minority groups). (Rowan Today)
These programs are aimed at increasing diversity (racial, gender, socioeconomic), improving retention, and ensuring equitable access to STEM pathways.
3. Teacher Preparation and Higher Education
- M.A. in STEM Education: Rowan offers a master’s program that simultaneously provides a teaching certificate while preparing future math/science teachers. Focuses include early field experiences, residency, and hands-on pedagogical training. (Rowan University College of Education)
- Through programs like the Noyce Scholars, Rowan is supporting teacher candidates financially, giving them experience in high-need districts, which helps both the students (K-12) and the teacher pipeline. (Rowan Today)
This strengthens the quality of STEM instruction, particularly in areas where there is a shortage of qualified teachers.
4. Undergraduate & Graduate Research Training
- U-RISE@Rowan: A biomedical research training initiative for undergraduates, funded by NIH, to build mentor relationships, research skills, and prepare them for graduate / professional STEM pathways. Supports students with stipends, travel, and mentoring. (College of Science & Mathematics)
This helps produce better prepared STEM graduates, fosters research experience early, and helps students from underrepresented or nontraditional backgrounds enter graduate pathways.
5. Institutional Policies & Equity Initiatives
- Rowan’s institutional mission includes being inclusive, agile, and responsive, and aims to offer educational pathways and environments for diverse scholars. (Rowan IRT)
- They are engaged in strategic work such as DEI plans, especially at their medical school, to strengthen the STEM pipeline from high school through professional programs. (Rowan-Virtua SOM)
- Data-driven grants (like ADVANCE) help Rowan to measure inequities and plan interventions. (Rowan Today)
6. Innovative and Emerging Programs
- Rowan is preparing to launch a STEM-MBA (Fall 2026), which combines traditional business education with STEM-designated course work (data analytics, MIS, etc.), targeting the growing intersection of tech, analytics, and business leadership. (Rowan University Business)
This addresses the evolving landscape of STEM careers, where crossover between technical skills and business/leadership is increasingly important.
Impacts & Value
- Broadening participation: By focusing on underrepresented populations (first-gen students, women, underrepresented minorities), Rowan is helping to diversify who enters and persists in STEM fields.
- Quality of teaching: Through advanced teacher training and residency programs, better practices and pedagogy reach classrooms, especially in high-need districts.
- Early exposure & pipeline building: Programs for K-12 and early undergrad students ensure that interests are nurtured and students feel supported early.
- Research readiness: Undergrad research programs like U-RISE help students build capabilities, increasing competitiveness for grad school, and boosting the STEM workforce.
- Institutional leadership: Their grants and DEI initiatives help change culture, not just add programs—creating more sustainable systemic change.
If you want, I can provide data or outcomes (graduation rates, demographics, etc.) to show how effective these are, or compare Rowan’s approach to peer institutions.