BUILDING A CROSS-CAMPUS GEOSCIENCE COMMUNITY TO FIX A LEAKY PIPELINE FROM 2Y TO 4Y INSTITUTIONS IN RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA: RESULTS FROM GEOPATHS GEOSCIENTIST DEVELOPMENT (GEODE) PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

Despite the absence of geoscience courses at over 75% of community colleges nationwide, several community colleges in Riverside County, California have thriving geoscience programs where students can take a range of geology courses in preparation for a geology major at 4-year universities. The NSF Geopaths Geoscientist Development (GEODE) Program at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) capitalizes on this excellent early geoscience exposure and aims to fix a “leaky” pipeline from 2-year to 4-year institutions by streamlining the transfer process, building a cross-campus geoscience community, and providing research opportunities at UCR for Riverside County’s diverse pool of community college students (59.9% Hispanic and 8.1% African American). Here, we report on two key aspects of the GEODE program: outreach to the community colleges and student internships.

Outreach to several 2-year colleges takes place each academic school year. Quarterly visits span multiple days to accommodate the maximum amount of geology classes and geology clubs. Informational handouts are distributed including one entitled: “Why be a geology major?”, which coincides with discussions designed to increase awareness of interdisciplinary research areas within the geosciences, local career opportunities, and the prospect of travel. Tailored specifically to each 2-year college, criteria for transferring to UCR is also provided, listing the courses each student should take at their current institution and guidelines for transferring into the geology major at UCR. We have contact with approximately 800 students per academic year and invite each student to visit UCR.

The GEODE Program also offers 10-week paid student internships, providing the opportunity for students to be exposed to the geosciences through research experiences. Since its launch, GEODE has hosted 19 student interns. Of the students who have transitioned from their 2-year colleges, ten (66.7%) have transferred to 4-year institutions, including five students (33.3%) that have transferred to UCR. Four students are still currently completing their studies at the 2-year colleges. These results demonstrate a promising way to improve the pipeline and increase diversity in the geosciences.