Since its inception in 2016, Project RAISE (Regional Alliance in STEM Education) has empowered hundreds of transfer students by providing academic support, hands-on research experience, and community-building opportunities as they work toward careers in STEM.
Megan Drangstveit has led Project RAISE since 2016, transitioning to Principal Investigator in 2021 when the program received a new grant. She works with Project RAISE staff, as well as faculty and campus colleagues at both the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and the College of Engineering & Computer Science. Together, they offer summer research opportunities, transitional support for entering transfer students, and preparation for and opportunities to take part in research and internships.
“Faculty from both colleges host summer research participants and also open their labs to tours for community college students during the academic year,” Drangstveit says. “Project RAISE is housed in McCarthy Hall, which gives us opportunities for regular interaction with faculty, staff, and students in NSM. The Transfer Resource Center is on the fifth floor, where students can meet with Project RAISE Peer Advisors, study, and have a space to build community with fellow STEM students.”
Project RAISE hires STEM transfer students who have successfully navigated this transition and are interested in helping other students as Peer Advisors. They meet 1:1 with their assigned students, staff the Transfer Resource Center, and facilitate workshops at CSUF, at partner colleges, and virtually. Since 2016, 122 CSUF students have worked in this capacity with Project RAISE.
“Student staff are the backbone of our program – they build connections with their students, serve as a first point of contact as students navigate their new institution, and share their experiences as STEM scholars with others,” Drangstveit says.
A Multifaceted Approach to Building Community and Promoting Success
Project RAISE partners with nine area community colleges: Citrus, Cypress, Fullerton, Golden West, Irvine Valley, Orange Coast, Saddleback, Santa Ana, and Santiago Canyon.
The Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) is exclusively available to current community college students at these partner colleges. Along with discipline-based skill development, participants learn about transferring, graduate school, and networking in STEM. It is a full-time paid opportunity that prepares participants to engage in research when they transfer to a four-year institution. Participants increase their awareness of opportunities in STEM, their commitment to pursuing a STEM bachelor’s degree, and their self-efficacy. The URE has had 308 participants since the program began and plans to host another 48 students in the summer of 2025.
The RAISE Transfer Program (RTP) supports all STEM transfer students at CSUF, regardless of their college of transfer or identity characteristics. Participants are assigned a Peer Advisor to assist in their transition to CSUF and exploration of campus resources and supports. Well over 1,000 students have participated in RTP.
Project RAISE facilitates the Internship Preparation Program (IPP) and the Research Preparation Program (RPP), which are designed to help students learn about, prepare for, pursue, and participate in meaningful internship and/or research opportunities in STEM fields. Both are offered to students who participate in the RAISE Transfer Program throughout the academic year and allow students to apply learning from their classroom and laboratories to the workplace and research settings, build a professional network, and gain essential skills.
Through Project RAISE, current community college students can visit CSUF, often for the first time, hear from current CSUF STEM transfer students about their experiences, and see authentic research spaces in which CSUF STEM students are engaged.
During outreach presentations, Project RAISE Peer Advisors provide advice on transfer preparation, STEM careers, undergraduate research opportunities, and essential skills like resume building and interview preparation.
“We provide opportunity and support to students who have traditionally been marginalized in STEM fields,” Drangstveit says. “Through the Undergraduate Research Experience, CSUF visits, outreach programs, and the RAISE Transfer Program, we help students build their communities by connecting them with faculty, peers, and campus resources. Project RAISE gives students insights into potential research experiences, available support at all stages of their education, and ways they can meaningfully engage in their academic careers and advance their professional development.”
