In 2021, a new curriculum design was introduced with the aim of improving the academic outcomes of historically marginalized students (HMIs) who were participants in a summer bridge program. The program’s intent was to help HMI students transition from high school to a large, public research university in the Northeastern United States. This program in question has been in existence for the last 50 years. The new curriculum introduced in the summer of 2021 included explicit activities to familiarize students with the more practical aspects of science and comprehensive discussions on STEM career pursuits. The updated curriculum was also built with the goal of helping students cultivate a positive sense of self and feel more connected to science. Our study reported that HMI students' who learned the new curriculum had a higher first-semester academic performance than students who learned the traditional curriculum in the previous year. However, their academic performance was better predicted by their HSGPA than their STEM identity and motivation.
