Several times each year, reciprocal field trips between Truman and Community Colleges in Kansas City, Saint Louis, and Moberly are organized. The trips allow Truman faculty to motivate Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics students from the Community College partners to continue their studies at the baccalaureate level in several ways, and they give Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics faculty from the four institutions the chance to build inter-institutional relationships and collaborative partnerships.
Groups of faculty along with several upper-level undergraduates from Truman travel to the campus of each community college. The faculty-student team meets with students and faculty from that community college to share the opportunities available to students who pursue a four-year Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics degree. The Truman faculty and students give presentations and lead discussions on upper-level courses and research opportunities available at Truman and provide detailed information about The Next STEP for transfer students.
The Next STEP organizes at least one visit to the Truman campus per year for groups of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics faculty and students from each of the community college partner programs. During this visit, the groups meet Truman faculty and students, see the University’s Science and Mathematics & Computer Science facilities and learn about programs and opportunities available to undergraduate students. To emphasize the excitement one can experience in a baccalaureate-level Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program, the visit may be scheduled to be concurrent with either Truman’s annual Student Research Conference or the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Symposium. During this visit, a special forum is organized in which the visiting community college faculty can exchange information about their programs with one another and the best practices they employ.