California Baptist University’s Tres Pasos boosts STEM access for Hispanic students

California Baptist University wrapped the latest Tres Pasos Summer Bridge Program with a Family Day showcase on June 24 in Riverside, highlighting a three-week STEM pathway for Hispanic and other underserved students in the Inland Empire. The NSF-funded program has grown in its second year and is set to continue through May 2027, with CBU planning to seek broader expansion.

Why it matters: - Tres Pasos is designed to move Hispanic students and other underserved students into STEM pathways at California Baptist University and beyond. - The program also brings families into the process, which can make college and STEM careers feel more accessible for first-generation students. - CBU is using the program to strengthen its role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution with a student body that is about 44% Hispanic.

What happened: - 56 high school and incoming college students completed three weeks of hands-on STEM courses at California Baptist University on June 24. - Students presented projects to their families during Family Day, the closing event for the Tres Pasos Summer Bridge Program. - The Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering runs Tres Pasos. - The program is funded by the National Science Foundation. - The summer bridge is open to students entering grades 10 through 12 and first-year college students from all backgrounds, with priority for students planning to major in STEM at CBU.

The details: - Tres Pasos selected 48 students from more than 110 applicants for this summer’s program. - The program had 36 participants in its first year. - Family Day marked the end of the first phase of the program. - Families saw student-built projects, including a hands-on challenge that tested cardboard boats designed by students. - The program’s “First Step” is a summer transition program for high school and first-year college students in STEM fields. - The “Second Step” adds continued faculty mentoring and support for first- and second-year CBU students. - The “Third Step” serves third- and fourth-year CBU students with a focus on professional growth, resilience and leadership. - Third-Step students can mentor younger students and prepare for STEM careers or graduate study. - The program includes Spanish-language support so families can take part more fully in the education process. - The initiative is backed by an NSF grant of about $500,000 and is funded through May 2027.

Between the lines: - Dr. Mario Oyanader, the program’s principal investigator, said Tres Pasos is meant to help students enter a lab for the first time and realize they belong there. - CBU leaders are treating early student enrollment and continued connection to the university as signs that Tres Pasos is helping students stay on track to finish degrees. - The program’s growth from 36 students to 48 students suggests demand is outpacing capacity. - CBU plans to apply for a larger five-year grant to expand Tres Pasos and add student presentations at national conferences such as the annual meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

What's next: - Tres Pasos will continue through May 2027 under its current NSF funding. - CBU will seek a larger five-year grant to broaden the program. - Future expansion could include more opportunities for students to present at national engineering conferences.

The bottom line: - Tres Pasos is becoming a pipeline program, not just a summer camp, by pairing STEM training with mentoring, family engagement and a longer-term path through college.