S-STEM Interview/Focus Group Protocols - Other Campus Reps

S-STEM Site Visit Protocol
OTHER CAMPUS REPRESENTATIVES
, my name is , from .
Let me introduce the team who will participate in today’s interview.
The National Science Foundation has contracted with us to evaluate the Scholarships in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, otherwise known as S-STEM. On this campus, the
program is called and is the principal investigator.
The goals of the evaluation are to understand the role of S-STEM in the educational and career
trajectories of scholarship recipients and to examine the effects of the program on grantee institutions.
We’re also interested in the characteristics of exemplary S-STEM programs.
We’re here today to talk with you about your experiences as they relate to the S-STEM program. Your
comments will be included as part of a report to NSF about implementation practices and the program’s
benefits for students, STEM departments, and institutions. Your comments will be included as part of a
report to NSF about the implementation of S-STEM on this campus and the benefits of the program for
yourself, the students, and your institution. We hope that your participation in this interview will help
improve the nationwide S-STEM program for the benefit of future grantee institutions and scholarship
recipients.
Before we begin our discussion, we would like to let you know that:
 You are not required to participate in this interview. You may decline to answer any questions
we ask, and you may request to end the interview at any time;
 We will be recording and taking notes during the discussion; and
 We will not quote you by name in our report to NSF.
Do you agree to participate in this interview under these conditions? Do you have any questions?
MODULE: OTHER REPRESENTATIVES ON CAMPUS
At we’re exploring the as a case study. We’re hoping to better understand
your perspective on the value of the S-STEM program in this regard.
1) What is your position on campus and how does it relate to ?
2) What is your understanding of the need that is trying to address in regard to
3) What is doing to address this need?
4) How did the come about? How has it evolved?
a. Created by and stays as an independent unit
b. Created by and has spread to other areas/students/etc.
c. Created elsewhere (on campus) and uses it

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5) What are the opportunities available to STEM students concerning , as
distinct from opportunities available only to students?
6) How does the relate to the other opportunities concerning
available on campus?
7) Are there any specific challenges or opportunities in you’re aware of that
could focus on?
8) Do you have relevant data that would help us understand either the needs or outcomes
associated with ?
9) Are there other NSF projects on campus or other funding to support activities that benefit SSTEM participants in similar ways as S-STEM? Please describe these.
10) What relevant changes to do you expect to see in the future?
Thank you so much for your time, we know that you are very busy. This has been an important
conversation and will greatly help us to understand the importance of .
MODULE: External partners (Industry representatives, other IHE)
1. Why did you decide to partner with the program?
Probe:
a. What value does partnership with the program provide ?
2. Have there been any challenges working with the program? What was done to resolve these
challenges?
3. What can be done to sustain the partnership in the long-term?
Thank you so much for your time, we know that you are very busy. This has been an important
conversation and will greatly help us to understand the impact of S-STEM on students and institutions.

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