Advancing Diversity Initiatives in the Civil Engineering Profession: Impacts of an NSF S-STEM Grant at a Regional Undergraduate Teaching Institution

摘要

A student scholarship and enrichment program was established in 2012 to help address the persistent problem of underrepresented minority, female and socioeconomically disadvantaged students enrolled in civil engineering degree programs and corresponding small number of graduates who enter the civil engineering profession. The program was administered within the civil engineering department of a regional undergraduate teaching institution and was made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program. The S-STEM program at our institution, entitled Excellence in Civil Engineering Leadership (ExCEL), offered scholarships to qualified students, within target demographic groups, to obtain financial and educational support in earning a civil engineering degree. Equally important to financial support, ExCEL faculty provided a variety of program-specific, student support services focused on improving retention, building a supportive learning community, developing principled leaders, and preparing graduates for successful careers.