RECRUITING AND RETENTION OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS: USING A ONE YEAR SCHOLARSHIP AT TWO-YEAR PARTNER SCHOOLS

摘要

Colleges of Engineering have been trying to tap potential engineering students from the underrepresented minority segment of the population for more than thirty years. As soon as it was realized how few high school minority students were fully qualified to and interested in studying engineering, four-year institutions began seeking and qualifying those students who were "almost" qualified. Summer bridge programs were developed to build needed skills, create academic community and perhaps offer course credit. Extensive first-year programs were created which provided academic assistance, peer or faculty mentoring or perhaps offering first year research with faculty. Follow-on programs were also instituted at some colleges to give academic support and build community among engineering learners. Additional options are dual degree programs and curriculum adjustments making engineering "more relevant". Still other institutions have marshaled student professional organizations to conduct outreach, build community and act as a recruiting and retention hub. This paper describes the development, workings and results of one Four-Year College program, and recommends how such a program could be created by virtually any engineering college interested in tapping the under-prepared population of students attracted to studying engineering. The key elements of principles, process and current best-practices include: recruiting students and parents, selection, orientation, the junior college experience, academic planning and advising, community-building, curriculum development, and institutional selection and alignment.