U.S. education official pushes STEM-H education at universities

Amir Vera
Staff Writer

VCU schools of Education and Engineering hosted a town hall meeting Friday featuring Debra Saunders-White, deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs for the U.S. Department of Education.

The meeting had two agendas. One focus was the increasing career interest among students to follow studies in science, technology, engineering, math and health (STEM-H). The other was on the U.S. Department of Education’s Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN).

VCU recently received $800, 000 in funding from the Department of Education for eight GAANN students in the School of Engineering, all of whom were present at Friday’s meeting.

These students, along with the Schools of Education and Engineering staff, presented why they were thankful for the opportunity grant gave them. Their responses varied from veterans returning to school to students who wouldn’t have had the chance to go to graduate school had it not been for the GAANN program.

“These students who are part of this GAANN fellows program really do represent what we hope as Americans will really drive a better future and a stronger economy,” Saunders-White said.

Saunders-White not only emphasized the importance of giving students the opportunity to learn in STEM-H studies, but also said that she wanted students to be motivated in secondary school before going on to higher education.

“We need to get these students through the door and across the stage,” Saunders-White said. “Students coming out of K-12 need to be ready to engage in (the professors’) curriculums on day one … we want students to enter calculus as soon as they enter your institution.”

In order to have students ready as soon as they enter college, Saunders-White said funding is key. Funding for STEM-H programs needs to start as early as 5th grade, she added.

“We’re looking for innovative, creative approaches that are grounded in sound research to continue to fund,” Saunders-White said.

One such way to fund STEM-H education is the First in the World grant. It is, she said, a new grant, which is grounded in research at its core, awarded to universities and K-12 school with specialty programs involving STEM-H. The Department of Education will be announcing this program in 45 days to the public for feedback. The responses will be presented on the department’s blog.

Beyond the funding, though, Saunders-White said STEM-H interests (like funding) need to start at an early age. Other factors such as family and quality teachers contribute to the child’s willingness to learn.

This enthusiasm, according to Saunders-White, will then carry on into high school and eventually to the college-level. It is there, in their first year, that students in STEM-H programs will be able to succeed and ultimately be a part of the GAANN program.

That is what Saunders-White’s goal was, she said, to get students from an early age into STEM-H so that they can be interested and successful through their entire academic career.