Leveraging an NSF S-STEM Grant to Initiate "PEEPS" (Program for Engineering Excellence for Partner Schools) for Recruiting and Retaining Students from Underrepresented Groups while Covertly Transforming Ourselves and Our University
- Conference
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2018 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity Conference
- Location
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Crystal City, Virginia
- Publication Date
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April 29, 2018
- Start Date
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April 29, 2018
- End Date
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May 2, 2018
- Conference Session
- Tagged Topics
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Diversity and Race/Ethnicity
- Page Count
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12
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--29551
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/29551
- Download Count
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417
Paper Authors
Katherine C. Chen Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Dr. Katherine C. Chen is the Executive Director of the STEM Education Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Her degrees in Materials Science and Engineering are from Michigan State University and MIT. Her research interests include precollege engineering education and equity in education.
Jaclyn Duerr California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Jackie Duerr works as a coordinator for the Multicultural Engineering Program at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Teaching experience includes Engineering Student Success and Multicultural Counseling courses. Research interests encompass advocacy, recruitment, retention, and graduation for underserved students in STEM, with a special interest in first-generation and transfer student experiences.
Lizabeth T. Schlemer California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Lizabeth is an Associate Dean in the College of Engineering and a Professor in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Cal Poly, SLO. In her current role she overseas Engineering Students Services and diversity efforts in the college. Coming from a 24-year career of practicing innovative pedagogies from project-based learning to flipped classrooms, she now works to transform the institution of higher education through structures and practices.
Jane L. Lehr California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Jane Lehr is Chair of the Women's & Gender Studies Department and a Professor in Ethnic Studies at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She is also the faculty director of the Cal Poly Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority and Underrepresented Student Participation in STEM Program. She previously served as elected co-chair of the Science & Technology Task Force of the National Women's Studies Association, and as a Postdoctoral Research Officer at the Centre for Informal Learning and Schools (CILS) at King's College, University of London. Her graduate training is in Science & Technology Studies and Women's Studies at Virginia Tech.
Emily E. Liptow California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Emily Liptow served as an AmeriCorps VISTA member at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo for two years, where she was involved with a variety of diversity and inclusion efforts in the College of Engineering ranging from student support programs, faculty bias-awareness training, and inclusive cultural change. She is a recent Industrial and Systems Engineering graduate from Ohio State University, where she was also very involved with social justice initiatives.
Monica Lauren Singer
Monica Singer is an AmeriCorps CSU STEM VISTA member, supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives within the college of engineering at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. There she graduated as a psychology major, minoring in child development and Gender, Race, Culture, Science, and Technology. Her research interests include how masculinity and implicit bias function in an academic setting (specifically in the STEM fields).
Helene Finger P.E. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Helene Finger has been a faculty member in the Civil/Environmental Engineering Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo since 1997, with a break from 2007 to 2010 to pursue her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering focusing on computational science and engineering and thermo-fluid sciences. At Cal Poly, she teaches courses in Water Resources and Water Quality. In 2000, she took on the additional roles of Director of the Women’s Engineering Program and advising the Cal Poly section of the Society of Women Engineers.
Abstract
The PEEPS (Program for Engineering Excellence for Partner Schools) scholarship program was cultivated from ongoing discussions in a faculty learning community on Diversity in STEM. Inspired by the Posse Foundation, we took a holistic approach in bringing together different departments on campus (e.g., College of Engineering, Multicultural Engineering Program, Admissions, Financial Aid) and creating a cohort program for students largely from underrepresented groups.
PEEPS is a NSF S-STEM scholarship program in which primarily underrepresented, first generation students in engineering receive significant financial support (up to $10k for at least 4 years) and a network of classmates, faculty, and staff to support them throughout their college career. “PEEPS” represents the idea of a “posse,” “family” or “my peoples” as a group that supports and cares for one another, and being part of a cohort is central to the program. In addition, PEEPS integrates several interventions (e.g., proactive advising, scheduling of PEEPS students in the same section of courses) and social activities. These components are designed to build community, help strengthen student identities as an engineer, and increase self-efficacy. PEEPS has been impacting various programs and practices at Cal Poly beyond just the PEEPS cohorts, such as the Engineering Student Success course (for 1st years), an Engineering Professional Success course (for 3rd years and transfer students) and cohort scheduling of gateway engineering courses for students in the same department. Furthermore, the interactions among support team across different units has influenced other programs on campus.
Recruitment and retention strategies will be discussed, as well as preliminary assessment results from focus groups and interviews.
Chen, K. C., & Duerr, J., & Schlemer, L. T., & Lehr, J. L., & Liptow, E. E., & Singer, M. L., & Finger, H. (2018, April), Leveraging an NSF S-STEM Grant to Initiate "PEEPS" (Program for Engineering Excellence for Partner Schools) for Recruiting and Retaining Students from Underrepresented Groups while Covertly Transforming Ourselves and Our University Paper presented at 2018 CoNECD - The Collaborative Network for Engineering and Computing Diversity Conference, Crystal City, Virginia. 10.18260/1-2--29551
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