Adelphi Receives STEM Award for Redesigned, Inclusive Computer Science Program
Garden City, NY (08/15/2022) — Adelphi University has earned the Reimagined Computer Science Curriculum for an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award given by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This honor recognizes the effort that colleges, universities and outside organizations have undertaken to empower women and underrepresented students of all levels to succeed in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines.
"Awards from INSIGHT Into Diversity have played a significant role in the success of our efforts to advance the cause of diversity at the University and ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment on campus," said Salvatore Petrilli, EdD, associate dean for academic operations and general education in the College of Arts and Sciences att Adelphi. "Winning a 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award further strengthens our efforts to bring more diverse students and women into our life-changing computer science programs."
In 2016, Petrilli and Kees Leune, PhD, assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, embarked on a holistic evaluation of the University's undergraduate computer science program to ensure that students from every background receive the best possible education and experience. Together, with the involvement of Adelphi's Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, they examined, reimagined and restructured the computer science curriculum and each of the majors in the department.
Leune and Petrilli noted that the restructured computer science program would need to strike a balance between instilling practical skills in students who planned to enter the workforce after graduation and developing a robust theoretical foundation for students who planned to continue to graduate school. To achieve that, they designed a flexible program with fewer required courses and more electives that students can use to create a specialized track or minor in cybersecurity, video-game design or scientific computing - and even a second major. They also focused on reducing rigid course requirements and offering options to improve student success.
"Our ultimate goal is to increase the number of people of color and women in the computer science field as well as make sure students got what they wanted out of their education," said Leune. That goal was reached.
Launched in fall 2017, the redesigned program has achieved impressive results, especially in the area of diversity. Over the next four years, the number of women in the program has doubled, Black or African American students have increased by 150 percent, and Hispanic students have gone up 63 percent. Overall, students of color now account for 72 percent of Adelphi's computer science students, compared to 49 percent five years ago.
The program itself grew from approximately 10 new students per fall semester to having more than 80 students in each fall semester. In evaluating the outcomes of the changes to the program, Leune and Petrilli noted that the number of computer science majors who declared minors had more than doubled: an increase from 9.5 percent to almost 19 percent.
Learn more about the computer science program at: adelphi.edu/program/undergraduate/computer-science
About Adelphi: A modern metropolitan university with a personalized approach to higher learning
Adelphi University, New York, is a highly awarded, nationally ranked, powerfully connected doctoral research university dedicated to transforming students' lives through small classes with world-class faculty, hands-on learning and innovative ways to support academic and career success. Adelphi offers exceptional liberal arts and sciences programs and professional training, with particular strength in our Core Four: Arts and Humanities, STEM and Social Sciences, the Business and Education Professions, and Health and Wellness.
Recognized as a Best College by U.S. News & World Report, Adelphi is Long Island's oldest private coeducational university. It serves more than 7,500 students at its beautiful main campus in Garden City, New York -- just 23 miles from New York City's cultural and internship opportunities -- and at dynamic learning hubs in Manhattan, the Hudson Valley and Suffolk County, as well as online.
More than 118,000 Adelphi graduates have gained the skills to thrive professionally as active, engaged citizens, making their mark on the University, their communities and the world.
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Adelphi University has earned the Reimagined Computer Science Curriculum for an Inspiring Programs in STEM Award given by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
Adelphi University / New York
Taylor Damian, 516-993-5677, tdamian@adelphi.eduShare this Story
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