180-12 GREEN-SJ, an NSF Geopaths Project: Efforts to Broaden Participation in Southern New Jersey

Session: Geoscience Outreach Efforts to Broaden Participation (Posters)

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Growing Rowan’s Environmental Education Network in Southern New Jersey (GREEN-SJ) was designed to build a deep and diverse environmental science workforce in South Jersey. GREEN-SJ developed from the need to 1) improve the experience for transfer students from Rowan College of South Jersey, Cumberland (RCSJ-C); 2) develop a workforce ready to lead in the developing wind energy field in southern NJ; and 3) enhance recruitment and retention of traditionally underrpresented students in Rowan University's Department of Environmental Science (EVSC). Nearly three years into the program, we report on our successes and challenges meeting these objectives.

We designed support systems for transfer students, predominantly Latine students from RCSJ-C, who must adapt to a new school and professors to earn a Bachelor’s degree. We also support majors already at Rowan who want more out of their undergraduate experience. Recruitment is happening at high schools in Cumberland County to recruit students and educate parents about opportunities in the environmental science field. 

We have welcomed 14 students into GREEN-SJ (3 transfer; 11 from Rowan). Students coming from RCSJ-C identify as Hispanic or Latine and students from Rowan identify as Black, African-American, Hispanic, or two or more races, and 79% as female. No racial and ethnic data was collected in year 3.

GREEN-SJ students have or are on track to graduate in under 5 years. This is higher than the average for Environmental Science (EVSC) majors at Rowan and for Hispanic and Black EVSC majors. (67% in 2019; 62% in 2020; 60% in 2021).  White EVSC students graduate at similar rates. Traditionally under-represented students (2 or more races; Black; Hispanic) at 50% (note the data for EVSC majors are limited since it was created in 2019). In Fall 2024, EVSC majors are 57% female, 80% white; 12% hispanic; 2% Black or African American (at least 8% anticipated for Fall 2025); and 44% are Pell-eligible or unknown. Incoming EVSC transfer students are 50% Pell eligible, 89% white; and  5% Hispanic.

A striking disparity in graduation rates for EVSC exists for first-generation students: 33% versus 61% non-first-generation in 2020.  29% of EVSC majors and 39% of incoming EVSC transfer students are first-generation college students.  We anticipate GREEN-SJ will continue to improve graduate rates among first-generation students enrolled in the program. 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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