Program Evaluation
Program evaluation activities for the ADVANCE Midwest Partnership have three foci: 1. Evaluation of the content and implementation quality of each of the intervention components (CIMC, A&A, and DCPD, IES Caucus); 2. Evaluation of the added benefit due to adding components of the Integrated Equity Support package for each partner location (MTU, NDSU, ISU); 3. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the IES package as a whole at the WMU test site.
Program Purpose
The program evaluation team engages in a process of critical evaluation of programs offered by the ADVANCE Midwest Partnership. Unique to this effort, the evaluation team works across campuses for maximum efficiency and collaboration. Employing best practices, the evaluation team interacts with program developers and users through qualitative and quantitative tools that gather and analyze information from the program activities. Evaluative assessment produces outcome reports that inform each program of its efficacy, program decisions, measure to goal-attainment, and overall effectiveness. Furthermore, the evaluative assessment aids in the future planning and development of programs.
Process
The evaluation team employs best practices that:
- Engage program developers and users
- Implement evaluation design
- Gather valid evaluation data
- Justifie evaluation conclusions
- Share agreed-upon analysis
- Analyze program efficacy
Participants
Member Institutions
Iowa State University, Michigan Technological University, Western Michigan University, and North Dakota State University
Evaluation Team Members:
- Lori Wingate
- Mark Rouleau
Testimonials
The ADVANCE Midwest Partnership Evaluation Team has a successful track record of conducting program evaluation that captures the impact of the various programs offered by AMP.
Survey respondents indicated that they highly agreed or agreed that the programs improved their understanding of challenges experienced by underrepresented women in STEM and increased their awareness of actions they could take. Comments from evaluation tools illustrating the impact of the programs and events include:
- "I will not be a bystander when I witness gender bias. I will let administrators know when their perspectives do not accurately reflect the experiences of women in the workplace."
- "As a woman minority scientist myself, I will stop feeling bad about asking for help, and I will stop letting people dismiss me."
- "Be more aware of specific times I could speak up and do so. As a woman, I recognize that sometimes I hold my tongue in the moment, but calling out bias in real time benefits everyone and enacts immediate change."
Materials (available upon request)
Evaluation surveys:
- “Picture a Scientist” documentary event
- “Picture a Scientist” documentary event (second event)
- “The Bearded Lady Project” documentary event
- Pulse surveys
- Donna Riley event
- PowerPlay workshop
- Department Chair Professional Development workshops
- Advocates and Allies workshops
- Cross-Institutional Mentoring Communities activities

