SCSE Student Success Programs - SAIL: Support for Active and Innovative Learning (SAIL)

Spring 2024 Call for Proposals!

The Swenson Signature Experience: The Swenson Active and Innovative Learning (SAIL) Program

A generous donation from the Swenson family has provided us an opportunity to think imaginatively about creating a Signature Swenson Experience, a common experience for all Swenson students that also reflects the uniqueness of each of our disciplinary programs. The SAIL Program (Swenson Active and Innovative Learning) will focus on increasing students’ STEM professional identity and belongingness, two factors positively associated with retention and persistence of STEM students.

Program Goals: Signature Swenson Experiences in every discipline that fulfill the following:

Every student participates in an authentic disciplinary experience in their first year of the program.
Swenson experiences continue through a student’s entire degree program, defined as vertical integration, with a particular focus on improving sophomore experiences.
The experiences are inclusive with no barriers to participation; programs should strive for automatic enrollment in these experiences, with no special section for specific groups required.
The experiences are credit neutral and cost neutral after the piloting and implementation period.
The experiences serve to enhance recruitment, retention, and persistence of students to graduation.

SAIL will support student success, increase students' ability to thrive,

and build their identities as STEM professionals.