Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 4: Fostering Belonging - Identity, Self-Efficacy, and Retention

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Monica Quezada-Espinoza, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; Maria Elena Truyol, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; Camila Zapata-Casabon, Universidad Andres Bello

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

(sense of belonging) are crucial for students pursuing STEM careers. Thesefactors influence persistence, motivation, and identity development, particularly inengineering students, helping them overcome academic challenges and lack of technicalexperience. High self-efficacy fosters resilience, goal setting, and better academic outcomes,while low levels can lead to demotivation, feelings of inadequacy, and increased dropout risk,especially during the first year. Analyzing students’ GPA is vital for understanding first-yearretention, as it serves as an early indicator of academic performance and identifies students atrisk. However, GPA alone is insufficient to capture the complexity behind academic success.Complementing GPA with measures of

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 5: Supporting Student Transition

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David A. Copp, University of California, Irvine; Anna-Lena Dicke, University of California, Irvine; Dayana Rivas, University of California, Irvine; Analia E. Rao, University of California, Irvine

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

Paper ID #47689A Summer Bridge Program Tech Challenge for Improving Self-Efficacy ofDiverse Incoming Engineering First-Year and Transfer StudentsDr. David A. Copp, University of California, Irvine David A. Copp received the B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Arizona and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Teaching at the University of California, Irvine in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Prior to joining UCI, he was a Senior Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 4: Fostering Belonging - Identity, Self-Efficacy, and Retention

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian Patrick O'Connell, Northeastern University; Kathryn Schulte Grahame, Northeastern University; Richard Whalen, Northeastern University; Constantine Mukasa, Northeastern University; Susan F Freeman, Northeastern University

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

360-evaluation that was generalized, this new evaluation mapped all questions backto the individual definitions of the five aspects of team success. Each team member was tasked withevaluating themselves and their teammates on the degree to which they adhered to four of the fiveexpectations (respect, commitment, transparency, and communication) outlined in the team contract theywrote for themselves. This limitation to these 4 was due to the first broad implementation of thisevaluation and those metrics being deemed more immediately visible and measurable for the students.The justice portion of their contracts is intended to be addressed internally and through the gradingadjustments resulting from the evaluations to help students see the

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 4: Fostering Belonging - Identity, Self-Efficacy, and Retention

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter M Ostafichuk P.Eng., University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Carol Jaeger, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Alireza Bagherzadeh, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Jon Nakane, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

find a balance between challenges faced and resources available to address them[15]. Insufficient challenge can lead to feelings of stagnation in an individual, but too manychallenges may lead to feeling overwhelmed. To measure feelings of being overwhelmed,including feelings of hopelessness and lack of self-efficacy in addressing challenges, thePerceived Stress Scale (PSS) [11]–[13] was also used in this study.The pressures on university students are varied, with academic pressures being a significantcontributor. In the case of engineering students, highly competitive admissions processes, both tothe first-year program and in some cases to discipline placement, result in extended periods ofgrade pressures, which can negatively impact factors

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 4: Fostering Belonging - Identity, Self-Efficacy, and Retention

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Theo Landman, University of Michigan; Laura K Alford, University of Michigan

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

tools explored in the course, and debugging problems that occur in studentcode. It is advised that student staff give pushes in the right direction where possible, and follow aset of structured debugging steps that the students are also provided with where necessary. Officehours can also be used for assistance understanding aspects of the project specifications andcourse guidelines.Related WorksSeveral works prior to this paper have noted that office hours can have a measurable impact onstudent performance outcomes. Finding a definite correlation between use of office hours andimprovement of student grades is a topic of interest to many educators. Current research has usedgraded homework as a metric of assessment [1]. Other papers covered the

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 2: Skills Development and Career Preparation

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Woorin Hwang, University of Florida; Andrea Ramirez-Salgado, University of Florida; Rohan Reddy Kalavakonda, University of Florida; Yessy Eka Ambarwati, University of Florida; Pavlo Antonenko; Swarup Bhunia

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

participants identified as men (n = 16),followed by women (n = 3), and non-binary (n = 1). Ethnoculturally, most participantsidentified as White (n = 15), followed by Asian (n = 4), and Latine (n = 1).Curriculum FeaturesTable 1 provides an overview of the weekly structure of the AIoT curriculum designed totrigger and sustain first-year students’ interest in hardware engineering and support theirengineering self-efficacy and outcome expectations.Table 1. Overview of AIoT curriculum Week Topic Projects 1 AHA board tour 2 RGB sensor modules and predictions Fruit ripeness monitor 3 Methods to measure distances Range detection 4 Smart

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 1: Tech-Forward Teaching - Digital Tools to Enhance Engagement

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Minji Yun, University of Florida; Kent J. Crippen, University of Florida

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

3focus on first-year students provided valuable insights into their early career perceptions and thefactors influencing them.InstrumentsTwo sets of survey instruments were utilized to address the research questions. The first setcollected personal data (i.e., gender, ethnicity, and academic major) alongside contextual factors(i.e., career awareness, gaming experience, and robotics experience). To ensure standardizedparticipant comparisons, contextual factors were measured on a 5-point Likert scale rangingfrom 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).The second set, adapted from Chiu et al. [1], assessed the core constructs of SCCT: self-efficacy,outcome expectations, career interest, and career intention. Each construct was measured usingfour

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 4: Pathways, Belonging, and Early Experiences

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cynthia Howard-Reed, Pennsylvania State University; Lauren A Griggs, The Pennsylvania State University; Eduardo Granata Rodriguez, Pennsylvania State University; Enrique D Gomez

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

critical retentionwindow between a student’s first and second years is diminished. Therefore, we proposeexposing undergraduate students to research skills and opportunities as early as possible in theircollege journey. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a combinedintervention model, where we leveraged an existing 6-week summer bridge program by addingan introduction to research course to the curriculum. To assess the impact of this enhanced bridgeprogram, we used pre- and post-program surveys to measure any change in student attitudestowards self-efficacy and sense of belonging, as well as their likelihood of pursuing anundergraduate research opportunity and graduate school. We also examined the preliminaryeffect of the

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 5: Academic Support, Retention, and Success Strategies

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roni Barak Ventura, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Lucie Tchouassi, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Jaskirat Sodhi, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Yusuf Ozkan, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Ashish D Borgaonkar, New Jersey Institute of Technology

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

’ sense of self-efficacy [13], [14] and confidence in understanding engineering topics istightly linked to their decision to remain in a degree course [15]. In addition, students may notidentify with the culture surrounding engineering [9], [16], [17] nor develop a “sense of belonging”to the engineering field [7], [18], and seek alternative vocations. The lack of belonging particularlyaffects students from groups that are underrepresented in engineering, who report leaving theirmajor due to fear of being judged by peers based on negative stereotypes [7], [19], [20].A potential, less explored factor that could contribute to attrition is students’ lack of understandingof engineering [18]. In particular, many entering students may not know what

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 4: Pathways, Belonging, and Early Experiences

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Danielle Grimes, Cornell College; Tyler B George

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

high number offirst-generation students and rural recruitment students, much of our population has fewer ofthese college preparatory courses. COVID-19 also drastically decreased the number of studentswith calculus experience before college. While our college has created more tutoringopportunities and different pathways for students with less success, we do not currently know theimpact of these courses on the students.​ There has also been a link between pre-college experiences outside of the classroom andstudent self-efficacy in STEM [5]. Hobbies and extracurricular interests can increase students’retention because they believe more in themselves. Because of the impact ofhobbies/extracurricular activities on retention, we have also

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 10: Learning to Learn - Metacognition and Self-Regulated Strategies

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jahnavi Dirisina, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Randa L. Shehab, University of Oklahoma

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

, "A Systematic Review of Academic Self-Concept Measures in First-year Engineering Education," in ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, 2023.[5] M. Bong and R. E. Clark, "Comparison between self-concept and self-efficacy in academic motivation research," Educational Psychologist, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 139-153, 2010.[6] H. Wu, Y. Guo, Y. Yang, L. Zhao and C. Guo, "A Meta-analysis of the Longitudinal Relationship Between Academic Self-Concept and Academic Achievement," Educational Pcychology Review, vol. 33, p. 1749–1778, 2021.[7] L. N. Fleming, K. Smith and D. Williams, "Engineering Identity of Black and Hispanic Undergraduates: The Impact of Minority Serving Institutions," in ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, 2013.[8] M

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 2: Skills Development and Career Preparation

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Grace Hellen Ford, University of Virginia; Brian P. Helmke, University of Virginia

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

oftenexperience imposter syndrome, feelings of not belonging, and low self-efficacy. Thesechallenges are especially pronounced for first-generation students and members of historicallymarginalized groups [2].Undergraduate research experiences represent high-impact experiential learning opportunitiesthat offer numerous benefits, including increased self-efficacy and persistence in their field ofstudy [3], [4], [5]. Additionally, research experiences increase undergraduate students’ awarenessof and interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers and supportstudents who want to pursue graduate school or work in industry [3]. However, several barriersto entry into undergraduate research experiences exist. Some of these barriers include

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 3: Integration of Math, Computing, and AI in First-Year Courses

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan L. Amato-Henderson, Michigan Technological University; Jon Sticklen, Michigan Technological University; Leo C. Ureel II, Michigan Technological University; James Bittner, Michigan Technological University

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

that if they put forth the effort, they can succeed Interest Students are interested in the content/instructional activities Caring Students believe that others in the classroom environment care about their learning and them as a person. MCMS Survey Self-efficacy Previous work on self-efficacy informs an individual’s judgment of his or her ability to execute a task within MATLAB [15]. Utility Value An individual’s judgment of the value of MATLAB and their successful use of MATLAB for their engineering career. Self-regulation An individual’s ability to manage their learning environment effectively. Self Assess. of Students rated

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 2: Skills Development and Career Preparation

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kristin Eden, Old Dominion University; Jeffrey W. Fergus P.E., Old Dominion University; Stacie I Ringleb, Old Dominion University

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

Readiness for the springsemester.The PA are seeking approval from the university's Institutional Research Board (IRB) toimplement a pre-and post-test for all first-year students enrolled in Introduction to Engineering inFall 2025. By utilizing the Longitudinal Assessment of Engineering Self-Efficacy v3.0developed by [7], the PA aim to gain insights into the persistence and success of participants inthe engineering program. Additionally, this approach will enable the tracking of each cohort overtime to evaluate the program's overall success.References[1] A. Tichavakunda and C. Galan, “The Summer Before College: A Case Study of First- Generation, Urban High School Graduates,” Urban Education, vol. 58, no. 8, pp. 1658– 1686, Oct. 2023, doi

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 3: Integration of Math, Computing, and AI in First-Year Courses

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Selvakumar Raja, Greenville College; Natalie Schleper, Saint Louis University

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

’ communication skills, both oraland written. By engaging in presentations, report writing, and peer reviews, students will developthe ability to convey technical information in a clear and concise manner to technical as well asnon-technical audiences.Furthermore, the course introduces students to the engineering design process, a systematicapproach to problem-solving by eliminating uncertainties/unknowns, is fundamental and crucialto all engineering disciplines. Students are provided multiple opportunities to brainstormsolutions, create prototypes, and test their designs, iterating as necessary to achieve results.Self-efficacy, motivation, and agency are essential components for effective student learning andacademic success. Self-efficacy, described as

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 8: Division Best Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ruben D. Lopez-Parra, Universidad del Norte; Yadeeh Sawyer, University of New Mexico - School of Engineering - Engineering Student Success Center; Christina Salas, University of New Mexico; Madalyn Wilson-Fetrow, University of New Mexico; Carl Willis, University of New Mexico; Vanessa Svihla, University of New Mexico

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

research, the study explores how these frameworks support students inactivating their funds of knowledge and addressing local issues. Data collection included studentwork artifacts, video/audio recordings, and pre/post surveys measuring identity, persistenceintentions, design self-efficacy, and consequentiality. Quantitative analysis employed descriptivestatistics and regression, while qualitative analysis expanded an existing coding scheme toinclude querencia. Results show that most students initially framed locally relevant problems,often tied to recent events like wildfires and flood risks, though some identified global issueswithout local connections. After team collaboration and scaffolding, all students developedlocally-relevant problem

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 13: Equity in Action - Identity, Mentorship, and Inclusion

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Katherine M Ehlert, Miami University; George D. Ricco, Miami University

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

support the United States inremaining a strong economic and global competitor [1-3]. However, through analysis of nationaldata sets, approximately only half of the students who enter a STEM major will graduate with aSTEM degree [4].Recent research examining the reasons why students leave STEM disciplines show that theytypically leave for non-technical reasons including poor teaching, curriculum overload, limitedadvising and support, or a rejection of the competitive culture in many STEM disciplines [7-10].In more recent years, studies have continued to document the same factors influencing attritionin STEM degrees as well as student’s lack of self-efficacy, failure of the material to capturestudent interest, overly competitive grade structures

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 8: Division Best Papers

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sonia Travaglini, Stanford University

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

achieve their planned academic or employment next steps, and describes thepathways as participants' progress to post-program, as key information for programadvertisements to potential participants and to the program sponsors.Table 1 below identifies some of the objectives of the AACRE program, the tracked outcomesused to evaluate them, and quantitative or qualitative metric used to objectively measure them:Table 1: Program evaluation metrics developed from objectives and tracked outcomes Program Objective Outcome Tracked Evaluation Metric Develop participants Participant self efficacy at a Likert-scale participant engineering technical and soft variety of ABET-informed self

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) GIFTS Session 2: Foundational Skills in the First-Year Engineering Classroom

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Benjamin D McPheron, Ohio Northern University

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

and Coach SurveysIn addition to analysis of the outcomes of the SDP program, it is also important to measureparticipant and coach feelings about the updated program, especially to identify gains in self-efficacy and confidence on the part of the participant. This will be measured using anonymoussurveys which are optional for the participants and coaches. The surveys include close-endedprompts rated on a 5-point Likert scale and open-ended prompts for qualitative feedback. Theproposed surveys for this assessment method can be found in the appendix.Conclusions and Future WorkThe development of an updated plan is the beginning of a much larger work. Future work isneeded to assess the success of the plan using the strategies described here, make

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 13: Equity in Action - Identity, Mentorship, and Inclusion

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maryam Darbeheshti, University of Colorado Denver; William Taylor Schupbach, University of Colorado Denver; Tom Altman; Michael S. Jacobson, University of Colorado Denver

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

administrators understand the benefits thatmentorship programs can have, especially as it relates to academic success, student persistence,and leadership training that helps their students establish practical skill sets vital to engineeringcareers. Peer mentoring is defined as “a form of peer education where students serve as rolemodels to fellow students and provide them with support and guidance” [9]. Peer mentoring hasbeen shown to provide a variety of benefits for the mentees and mentors alike [10]. The menteescan see first-hand how upper classmates balance their academic, work, and home life [10]. Peermentoring helped to promote academic achievement and community building, and in turn, toform a sense of belonging, to build self-efficacy skills, as

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 7: Teams that Work - Collaboration and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph B Herzog, University of Indianapolis; Joan Martinez, University of Indianapolis; Brett Leonard, University of Indianapolis; Patricia Snell Herzog, Indiana University Indianapolis; Amy Foley, University of Indianapolis; Stephen J Spicklemire, University of Indianapolis; Joan Matutes, University of Washington

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

self-efficacy (confidence in their adaptability and needed know-how), interpersonalcommunication, and leadership skills [7]. Somewhat counterintuitively, receiving information 2and cognitive support from peers was not as effective as the social support that students receivefrom peers [5].Impacts on retention appear to occur primarily through the social benefits of voluntary actions,such as peer mentoring. For example, one study found that student mentors described threecategories of benefits - relational knowledge, greater self-awareness, and development towardcareer goals [8]. Peer mentored students feel a greater sense of connection with their university,and interconnectedness among

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 7: Teams that Work - Collaboration and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Latisha Puckett, University of Arkansas; Aysa Galbraith, University of Arkansas

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

; the first-year retention rate inthe College of Engineering went up from 62.5% in 2007 to 76.7% in 2023. While supporting thecollege, students are the center of FEP’s mission. We regularly reassess our program’s missions,student outcomes, content, and delivery methods to meet the evolving needs of the first-yearengineering students. Implementation of project-based learning in the introductory engineeringcourses support several of our essential student outcomes such as demonstrate critical thinkingand problem solving, develop self-efficacy, work effectively with others, and decide engineeringmajor with confidence.Research on project-based learning in engineering courses has indicated gains in studentmotivation, engagement, and interest in

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 4: Pathways, Belonging, and Early Experiences

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Leah Rineck, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Mira Rilee Potter, University of Wisconsin - Madison

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

and 17 identified as male.There were 5 Asian students, 14 Hispanic, 1 African American, 1 that selected two or moreraces, 1 International, 17 White, and 3 students that did not select a race. Twenty-four of thestudents requested a scholarship to pay for the cost of the program.Badger Engineering Start (BEST) Program DesignFor students to persist in engineering they need to have a sense of self-efficacy and belonging[20]. To address these needs, as well as fill in gaps in students’ mathematics knowledge, theBEST Program was created as a multi-faceted approach to a bridge program with the goals ofmath and study skills review, facilitating a sense of belonging, preparing students for universityacademics, and increasing persistence and graduation

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 12: Bridging the Gap - Strategies to Support Diverse Learners in Early Engineering Courses

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aishwary Pawar, Southern Methodist University; DeLean Tolbert Smith, University of Michigan - Dearborn

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

success [23]. K-12 PENGactivities increase self-efficacy and engineering motivation [24], and Project Lead The Wayexperience raises GPAs [25]. The ToC approach provides a comprehensive framework foridentifying and understanding community needs, designing tailored interventions, andmonitoring progress toward desired outcomes. This research uses ToC and HCD to improvePENG program evaluations and include student viewpoints. HCD uses surveys, interviews, andworkshops to identify student, faculty, and advisor needs, whereas ToC sets long-term goals andcriteria for result assessment. Using qualitative and quantitative assessments, mixed methodsimprove PENG program results.Interview Protocol Refinement (IPR) framework offers a methodical approach to

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 5: Academic Support, Retention, and Success Strategies

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rhonda K Young, Gonzaga University; JOAN SARLES, Gonzaga University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

an increasing trend forengineering majors to be placed in Precalculus in their first semester [1]. This trend, coupledwith concerns about the college enrollment “cliff” and a critical need for engineers, led the SEASto explore issues around retention and student success outcomes in engineering [2]. Additionally,previous research into retention in engineering linked student confidence in college-level mathand science (self-efficacy) to their persistence in the degree, which raises concerns when placingstudents in a math class that could be considered behind what is considered on track [3].First Year Student Success and Retention in EngineeringA commonly quoted number is that roughly half of engineering students change out ofengineering or

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 12: Bridging the Gap - Strategies to Support Diverse Learners in Early Engineering Courses

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gretchen Scroggin, University of Arkansas; Heath Aren Schluterman, University of Arkansas

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

meetings with the students including standardized tests, AP tests, prior collegeexperience and self-efficacy. This process is particularly critical for students enrolling inmathematics courses. Currently, around 20% of incoming first-year engineering students(approximately 180/900 students) begin in a College Algebra course. This placement puts themtwo levels below the optimal starting point of Calculus I, categorizing them as underprepared.Advising these students can be particularly challenging, as they may also lack AP scores, priorcollege experience, or even, in some cases, standardized test scores.In Summer 2023, advising for underprepared students was modified to include high school GPAas a placement factor. Students with a GPA below 3.7

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Work-in-Progress 2: Skills Development and Career Preparation

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Esther Tian, University of Virginia; Jessica Taggart, University of Virginia

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

foundational design skills before entering college. Bond-Trittipo et al.demonstrated that high school engineering programs can influence students’ interests in STEMfields [6]. Similarly, Hynes et al. emphasized the importance of infusing engineering design intohigh school STEM courses to foster problem-solving skills and engagement [7]. Studies havealso shown that early engineering experiences in secondary schools can positively influencestudents’ performance and cognitive processes in design tasks [8]. Kado et al. observedsignificant correlations between K-12 prior design exposure and success in a university-levelhackathon, further documenting a relationship between design self-efficacy and project outcomes[9]. However, some research has shown no

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 9: Hands-On Foundations - Building Confidence, Belonging, and Engagement in First-Year Engineering

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian Scott Robinson, University of Louisville; Nicholas Hawkins, University of Louisville; James E. Lewis, University of Louisville; Angela Thompson P.E., University of Louisville; Thomas Tretter, University of Louisville

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

engineering curriculum on graduation rates and student satisfaction: A longitudinal study. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(1), 23-36.[10] Froyd, J., & Ohland, M. W. (2005). Integrated engineering curricula. Journal of Engineering Education, 94(1), 147-164.[11] Blair, B. F., Millea, M., & Hammer, J. (2004). The impact of cooperative education on academic performance and compensation of engineering majors. Journal of Engineering Education, 93(4), 333–338.[12] Raelin, J. A., Bailey, M. B., Hamann, J., Pendleton, L. K., Reisberg, R., & Whitman, D. L. (2014). The gendered effect of cooperative education, contextual support, and self-efficacy on undergraduate retention. Journal of Engineering

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) Technical Session 1: Tech-Forward Teaching - Digital Tools to Enhance Engagement

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Caroline Cvetkovic, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Madison Christine Fanning, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign; Shreya Khosla Gustafson, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Sarah Meece, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign; Divya Bendigeri, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Trisha Patnaik, University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

topics related to other talks/readings we’ve done in class, so I had the opportunity to learn more in depth about [point-of-care] devices and connect it to both fluid flow and what we learned in class.” • “It helped me connect more to the presentations from [guest speakers] this semester.” • “Doing the work hands on gives you [a] perspective to realize that all of the content the [guest speakers] come speak about is real and tangible work.”These results align with prior findings from PRiSE [17, 25], which show that students’ earlyeducational experiences significantly shape their STEM interests and self-efficacy. As PRiSEwas designed to examine the connection between the exposure of high school students to avariety

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division (FPD) GIFTS Session 2: Foundational Skills in the First-Year Engineering Classroom

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nichole Ramirez, University of Texas at El Paso; Meagan R. Kendall, University of Texas at El Paso; Lucas Galey, University of Texas at El Paso

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Diversity

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First-Year Programs Division (FPD)

be launching a retrospective post-survey usingvalidated instruments, including sense of belonging, engineering design self-efficacy, mathperceptions, and career intentions. We are currently pursuing IRB approval for a more systematicevaluation of the course’s impact. In conclusion, this paper described the development and implementation of the first-yearEngineering Design Experience course at a Hispanic Serving Institution. By intentionallyintegrating activities that foster a sense of belonging across culture, the course itself, theengineering discipline, and the university, this course aims to improve student retention andpersistence in engineering. Initial instructor reflections and student feedback have alreadyyielded valuable insights