Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ishbah Cox, Purdue University, Band and Orchestra Department; Monica Farmer Cox, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

Assessment (i2e2a). She ob- tained a B.S. in mathematics from Spelman College, a M.S. in industrial engineering from the University of Alabama, and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy Studies from Peabody College of Vanderbilt Univer- sity. Her teaching interests relate to the professional development of graduate engineering students and to leadership, policy, and change in STEM education. Primary research projects explore the preparation Page 24.302.1 of graduate students for diverse careers and the development of reliable and valid engineering education assessment tools. She is a NSF Faculty Early Career (CAREER

Conference Session

CPD Technical Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mitchell L. Springer PMP, SPHR, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Mark T. Schuver, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Continuing Professional Development

non-credit program offerings spanning theeducational continuum of engineering and technology.Both organizations, ProEd and ProSTAR, recognize the similarities of their mission and sharedpurpose to provide learning opportunities to those in technical professions with careers inprogress. To this end, and aside from common policies, procedures and practices, bothorganizations recognize the significant commonality premised on space (facilities, equipment),distance infrastructure (distance classrooms, capture and delivery mediums), and the engineering– technology educational continuum (professional short courses, business/industry educationalcontinuum needs). This richness in overlap creates an unquestionable synergistic opportunity forefficiency

Conference Session

Engineering Leadership Development Constituent Committee Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Benjamin Ahn, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Monica Farmer Cox, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Amadin Osagiede, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division

of Alabama, and a Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy Studies from Peabody College of Vanderbilt Univer- sity. Her teaching interests relate to the professional development of graduate engineering students and to leadership, policy, and change in STEM education. Primary research projects explore the preparation of graduate students for diverse careers and the development of reliable and valid engineering education assessment tools. She is a NSF Faculty Early Career (CAREER) and Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) recipient.Mr. Amadin Osagiede, Purdue University, West Lafayette Amadin Osagiede is an MBA candidate in the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University. He obtained a

Conference Session

WIED: Faculty and Gender Issues

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cheryl Cass, North Carolina State University; Lisa G. Bullard, North Carolina State University; Anita R. Vila-Parrish, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Women in Engineering

. She received her BS in Chemical Engineering from NC State and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. She served in engineering and management positions within Eastman Chem- ical Company from 1991-2000. A faculty member at NC State since 2000, Dr. Bullard has won numerous awards for both teaching and advising, including the ASEE Raymond W. Fahien Award, the John Wi- ley Premier Award for Engineering Education Courseware, NC State Faculty Advising Award, National Effective Teaching Institute Fellow, NC State Alumni Outstanding Teacher Award, George H. Blessis Out- standing Undergraduate Advisor Award, and the ASEE Southeastern Section Mid-Career Teacher Award. She is a member of the

Conference Session

Structural Education Topics in Architectural Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James B. Guthrie, California Polytechnic State University; Pamalee A. Brady, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Architectural

careers as projectleaders they will better understand structural engineering systems and principles. The newARCE 315 has been developed over the last year in consultation with the ARCH and CMdepartments. The challenge has been to select the appropriate mix of content from the twooriginal courses to include in the new ARCE 315. This course was taught for the first time in FallQuarter 2013; its organization and content are being adjusted based on lessons learned.This work in progress paper will present the background of the original five course sequence andthe recent changes, the learning outcomes and content developed for the new ARCE 315, the twostudent projects through which the course contents were applied, and the lessons learned in

Conference Session

Continuing Professional Development Division Technical Session 1

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Svetlana Vasilievna Barabanova, Kazan National Research Technological University; Julia Ziyatdinova; Vasiliy Grigoryevich Ivanov, Kazan National Research Technological University ; Phillip Albert Sanger, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Continuing Professional Development

in the adult audience andthe professional goals of the students. The novelty of the program is in its content andmodular character. The main units of the program are pedagogical, psychological, juridical(this is necessary for the Russian model of state and education), management of educationquality, international standards and the peculiarities of the specific enterprise.Assessment of the program has included opinion polls from both students and directors of thetraining centers at enterprises. Feedback from employers indicates that this program is veryeffective for improving the quality of the specialists training and increasing the number ofspecialists who successfully continued their careers at the enterprises after the

Conference Session

Biomedical Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mark A. Ruegsegger, Ohio State University

Tagged Divisions

Biomedical

industrial aspects. Mark received his Professional Engineering (PE) license in 2009 in the Metals and Materials specialty. Page 24.1390.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 Work in Progress: International BME Capstone and Summer Design ExperienceIntroductionEducation that includes international experiences has long been seen as an important way to givestudents a unique perspective and skill set for their future career endeavors. Seldom, however,do these experiences include rigorous engineering education. This can be due to constraints of atypical

Conference Session

Robotics and Automation

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Thomas B. Stout, Tidewater Community College; Steve C. Hsiung, Old Dominion University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Technology

autonomous vehicle designed and manufactured by faculty at a localuniversity and community colleges to provide interest to students in embedded controls. Thevehicle also met a need that a school system had for up-to-date automation and roboticsequipment. It is hoped that the results of this collaborative effort will lead more high students totake an interest in STEM related fields to sustain the nation’s need for additional young people toenter the career fields of sciences, engineering, and engineering technology, and also improvethese students academic abilities in a robotics and automation. Developing partnerships between public schools, community colleges, and universitiesare critical for students to achieve success in STEM programs and

Conference Session

K-12 and Pre-College Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vicki V. May, Dartmouth College

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

- sity in San Luis Obispo. Page 24.368.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 Design it! Build it! A Summer Engineering Workshop for High School Students to Foster Creativity and Change Perceptions of Engineering (Work in Progress)BackgroundA survey of over 1,000 high school students conducted by Penn Schoen Berland found thatstudents were more likely to consider engineering as a career if they had been exposed toengineering and better understood the role of engineers1. Additionally, students who had notbeen exposed to engineering were more

Conference Session

An Examination of Methods to Enhance Transfer Student Enrollment, Retenion, Persistence, and Outcomes

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Laier, University of South Alabama; Sally J. Steadman, University of South Alabama

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

work to covertheir tuition costs. The program also includes a seminar for first time students and amentoring program, to enhance the academic success of transfer students. Page 24.724.2The USA-LINK seminar emphasizes academic success skills (such as time management andstudy skills). The students explore engineering majors through problem-based applications,gaining essential experience with engineering problem solving. The seminar also focuses onsocial involvement and interpersonal skills. Students are introduced to career andresearch/internship opportunities and to job placement skills so they are well prepared to enterthe technical workforce.An

Conference Session

NSF Grantees’ Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sharon A. Jones P.E., University of Portland; Zulema Naegele, University of Portland; Tammy VanDeGrift, University of Portland

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 Increasing Retention in Engineering and Computer Science with a Focus on Academically At-Risk First Year and Sophomore Students1. IntroductionThe program described in this paper seeks to increase retention rates for engineering andcomputer science students and to evaluate the effectiveness of best practices for retention ofacademically at-risk students. The main hypothesis is that students who fall behind their cohortearly in their college career are less likely to be retained in engineering and computer science.As such, we focus this project on the academically “at-risk” student group defined as first-yearcollege students who are not

Conference Session

Integration of Engineering and Other Disciplines (Including Liberal Arts)

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arthur Felse, Northwestern University; Igor Kourkine

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Multidisciplinary Engineering

to be at the forefront of technologycommercialization. The situation is further complicated by the fact that about 45% of students inengineering MS programs are non-resident aliens, who are even less familiar than domesticstudents with the technology commercialization processes in the United States. Given thesubstantial number of graduate degrees awarded in the USA annually (Table 1), we think thatmore rigorous education in technology commercialization is not just beneficial, but it is Page 24.103.4necessary for graduate students’ career growth and the future success of technologycommercialization. This education should be designed to bridge

Conference Session

Enhancing Success/Peristence at Two-Year Colleges

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dan G. Dimitriu, San Antonio College; Jerry O'Connor, San Antonio College

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

profession. From the beginning its stated mission was: “The EarlyDevelopment of General Engineering (EDGE) Program is designed to increase high schoolstudents’ awareness of various engineering fields and sustain their interest in the study ofengineering. We recognize that Math is critical in the field of engineering; therefore, ourprogram focuses on increasing students’ math abilities so they leave our program with theknowledge, skills, and confidence that will prepare them for successful engineering careers.”Despite the excellent reviews our program received from students, parents, and teachers, theexpected enrollment numbers did not materialize as expected and the following years 3, 4, 5, 6, 7brought changes and new developments designed to adapt

Conference Session

Enhancing the Underrepresented Student Experience

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William J. Davis P.E., The Citadel; Kevin C. Bower PE, The Citadel; Ronald W. Welch, The Citadel; Elizabeth Connor, The Citadel

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

Excellence in Civil EngineeringLeadership for South Carolina (ExCEL-SC) was created to recruit, support, graduate andprovide career opportunities for minority, female, and socioeconomically disadvantagedstudents. The importance of embracing the strength of diversity in civil engineeringleadership is paramount to fulfilling the high calling of the profession. Achieving theAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Vision for Civil Engineers in 2025 requirespreparation of graduates who can meet the demands of tomorrow's world throughproviding a sustainable built environment and raising the global quality of life. Civilengineers are envisioned to serve as master builders, stewards of the environment,innovators, managers of risk, and leaders of public

Conference Session

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation Research Technical Session 7

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Philip M. Reeves, The Pennsylvania State University; Sarah E. Zappe, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; Elizabeth C. Kisenwether, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; D. Jake Follmer, The Pennsylvania State University; Jessica Menold, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Tagged Divisions

Entrepreneurship & Engineering Innovation

Penn State. Theunique inter-college minor consists of several clusters that center on entrepreneurship andinnovation in relation to different majors, industries, and contexts. An assessment plan wasdeveloped in conjunction with the minor and initial results will be reported. The overall goal ofthe assessment is to track the students’ progress, knowledge, skill development, and attitudinalchanges as the students proceed through the minor and begin their careers. As the first step inthis process, students from the core classes of the minor were asked to complete a survey nearthe beginning and end of the semester to capture their attitudes toward entrepreneurship andinnovation. A vast majority of the students who completed the survey were

Conference Session

NSF Grantees’ Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mary R. Anderson-Rowland, Arizona State University

Tagged Topics

NSF Grantees Poster Session

Tagged Divisions

Division Experimentation & Lab-Oriented Studies

the areas of recruitment and retention. A SWE and ASEE Fellow, she is a frequent speaker on career opportunities and diversity in engineering. Page 24.1403.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 Working with Graduate Students in an Upper Division Students Success ProgramAbstractSince 2002, Arizona State University has had an Academic Success and ProfessionalDevelopment (ASAP) class for upper division native and transfer students, as well as graduatestudents. The graduate students earned their Bachelor’s degree in engineering or

Collection

2014 ERC

Authors

Samir El-Ghazaly

Systems, CybersecurityOne submission window each year between: Oct. 1 - Nov. 1 8 Funding Opportunities Core programs › Unsolicited: One window (October 1 – November 1 Annually) › Eager (Early Concept, Can be submitted anytime) Directed programs (Special CFP’s) › CAREER › Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) › Interdisciplinary Research (IDR) › Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) › Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) › Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grants in Engineering (BRIGE) › REU, RET Supplements › Others…. ECCS Transition to One Core Solicitation

Conference Session

Mentoring Minorities: Effective Programs, Practices, and Perspectives

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew B. A. McCullough, North Carolina A&T State University; Stephanie Luster-Teasley, North Carolina A&T State University; Clay Gloster Jr., North Carolina A&T University (Tech); Leotis Parrish, North Carolina A&T State University; Marcia F. Williams, North Carolina A&T State University; Ronnie S. Bailey, North Carolina A&T State University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

in, and complete STEM under- graduate and graduate degrees. Dr. Williams has been instrumental in garnering over $8 million in grants to support undergraduate research and interdisciplinary outreach programs, and has facilitated faculty-led research experiences on campus and at Argonne, Brookhaven, and Lawrence L. Livermore national labo- ratories.She is a Councilor in the Undergraduate Research Program Directors Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research,and member of the CUR Broadening Participation Task Force. She also serves on advisory boards for the NSF Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), the NIH Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program, the NSF

Conference Session

Preparing Minority Students for Undergraduate and Graduate Research

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Erin J. McCave, Clemson University; Jordon Gilmore, Clemson University; Karen Burg, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

enrolling in graduate orprofessional schools.5,6Many researchers have explored potential causes for minority student underrepresentation in theSTEM disciplines. Issues such as preparedness deficiencies, stereotype threats, familial orsocietal expectations, or low esteem have been presented as potential reasons for low interest,aspiration, admission, retention, and persistence in STEM of ethnic minority students.7-14Diminished pursuit of graduate studies for URM students were thought to be largely related tofinancial hardship post baccalaureate; however, further research has shown that URMs in STEMalso may not see graduate or professional schools as significantly beneficial to career aspirationsand interest.15Undergraduate research programs have

Conference Session

Focus on African-American and Hispanic Engineering Students’ Professional and Academic Development

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kalynda Chivon Smith, Howard University; Lorraine N. Fleming, Howard University; Inez N. Moore, Howard University; Silas E. Burris, Howard University; Fabiana Bornmann

Tagged Divisions

Minorities in Engineering

; however,DuBois spoke specifically of college educated Blacks’ responsibility towards those with fewerresources, which has not been often empirically studied regarding the motivations of Blackundergraduates to persist in STEM majors. Although there has been some debate about whomDuBois regarded as the Talented Tenth and exactly what he charged them with, DuBois spoke ofeducated Blacks sacrificing their personal desires in order to increase the overall well-being oftheir entire race in the United States. In the simplest terms, this charge is now antiquated;however, Blacks are still less likely to attend and graduate from a college or university and areless likely to obtain financially stable careers than their White counterparts. The need

Conference Session

First-Year Programs Division Poster Session

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy J. Hinds, Michigan State University; S. Patrick Walton, Michigan State University; Mark Urban-Lurain, Michigan State University; Daina Briedis, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

, mechanics, computational tools and international product design as well as graduate-level courses in engineering innovation and technology management. He has conducted research in the areas of environmentally-responsible manu- facturing, globally-distributed engineering teaming and early engineering education development and has over 30 years of combined academic and industrial management experience. He received his BSME and MSME degrees from Michigan Technological University.Dr. S. Patrick Walton, Michigan State University S. Patrick Walton received his B.ChE. from Georgia Tech, where he began his biomedical research career in the Cardiovascular Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. He then attended MIT where he earned his M.S

Conference Session

Impact of Community Engagement on Communities

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julia D Thompson, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Brent K Jesiek, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Community Engagement Division

starting her doctoral studies.Prof. Brent K Jesiek, Purdue University, West Lafayette Dr. Brent K. Jesiek is Assistant Professor in the Schools of Engineering Education and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. He is also an Associate Director of Purdue’s Global En- gineering Program, leads the Global Engineering Education Collaboratory (GEEC) research group, and is the recent recipient of an NSF CAREER award to study boundary-spanning roles and competencies among early career engineers. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Tech and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Science and Technology Studies (STS) from Virginia Tech. Dr. Jesiek draws on expertise from engineering, computing, and the

Conference Session

Electrical Energy Courses - Labs and Projects

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yazan Alsmadi, Ohio State University ; Kaichien Tsai, Ohio State University; Mark J. Scott, Ohio State University; Longya Xu, Ohio State University; Aimeng Wang

Tagged Divisions

Energy Conversion and Conservation

Laboratory isdescribed in detail along with the hardware employed. The success of the proposed course hasbeen assessed through student enrollment into the course over the last ten years, and bysurveying students at the end of the semester.I. INTRODUCTIONThere is a high demand for qualified engineers in the field of power electronics and motorcontrol (PEMC) as an increasing global population looks to raise its living standards whiledealing with greater limitations placed upon fossil fuel based energy infrastructures1-3. Educatorsserving this field must juggle limitations in time and resources, while providing students with aneducation that will make them top candidates for their careers beyond academia2-13. Laboratoriesare used in this field to

Conference Session

FPD 1: The Path to Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Catherine E. Brawner, Research Triangle Educational Consultants; Marisa K. Orr, Louisiana Tech University; Matthew W. Ohland, Purdue University and Central Queensland University

Tagged Divisions

First-Year Programs

enrollment began their college careers outside engineering.1Many programs have been put in place to recruit students into engineering fromunderrepresented groups,2,3 but fewer programs exist to recruit from among students alreadyenrolled in universities and the nature of the engineering curriculum makes it difficult for manystudents to switch into engineering once they have chosen a different academic pathway.Most people who apply to colleges of engineering “always wanted” to be engineers or at leastthey had decided by the time they were seniors in high school that engineering was going to betheir career path. Many identify as being “good at math and science” and therefore engineeringmade sense to them.4 Others like to build things or got involved

Conference Session

California on the Move: A Robust Array of Student Success Initiatives

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anna Marbella Camacho, The STEM Center, Cañada College; Danni Redding Lapuz, The STEM Center at Cañada College

Tagged Divisions

Two Year College Division

under-represented students studying STEM at Ca˜nada College, including the Health Career Pathways Program, the Student On-Ramp Leading to Engineering and Sciences Project, the Veter- ans Employment Assistance Program for Engineering, and the National Science Foundation Scholarship Program. As Project Director for a $5.9 million Hispanic-Serving Institution-STEM Grant (CalSTEP), Danni collaboratively spearheaded the creation of The STEM Center, which promotes STEM education through programs, activities, academic/support services, and opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and the greater community. Danni earned a BA in Music from UC Irvine and an MA in Ethnomusicology from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa

Conference Session

Gender Perceptions and Girls in K-12 Engineering and Computer Science

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christina Deckard, SPAWAR Systems Center Pacific; David Quarfoot, SDSU/UCSD; Kimberly C Csanadi

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

, like science festivals, robotics competitions, and fairs that encourage young people to create, build, and invent - to be makers of things.”Working with middle school science teachers, education advocates, community partnersinterested in STEM, and university STEM student organizations, an intervention, Girl’s Day Out,was developed by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific or SPAWARSystems Center Pacific) in San Diego, California – one of the research, development, andscience/engineering support arms of the U.S. Navy. The intervention was created to inspire andencourage middle school girls to pursue STEM subjects in high school as a possible pathway to aSTEM career, and to inform parents of the opportunities

Conference Session

The Interdisciplinary Nature of Engineering

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Xiaofeng Tang, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Multidisciplinary Engineering

research seeks tounderstand the forces that motivate educators to blend engineering learning with liberal studies,the institutional and pedagogical strategies used in different integrative programs, and theimpacts of liberal learning on students’ understandings of engineering and its social context. Inthis paper, I focus on a subset of the research questions posed for the dissertation: ● What motivates students to study engineering in a liberal education environment? ● In what ways does the experience of “a liberal education for engineers” assist students’ personal growth and career development? ● To what extent does students’ understanding of engineering take into account the social dimensions?MethodsMy dissertation

Conference Session

K-12 Engineering Resources: Best Practices in Curriculum Design, Part 1 of 2

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Malinda S. Zarske, University of Colorado, Boulder; Madison J. Gallipo, University of Colorado Boulder; Janet L. Yowell, University of Colorado, Boulder; Derek T. Reamon, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

K-12 & Pre-College Engineering

Page 24.1102.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2014 STEM High School: Does multiple years of high school engineering impact student choices and teacher instruction? (Research to Practice) Strand: K-12 Engineering Resources: Best Practices in Curriculum DesignK-12 engineering programs are rapidly increasing around the nation, particularly at the highschool level. Integrating opportunities for high school students to repeatedly practice engineeringskills has been suggested to increase students’ interest in pursuing a career in engineering.However, little research exists to show the real impacts on the students’ attitudes towardsengineering and where they end up after high school

Collection

2014 EDI

Authors

Tom Katsouleas

their careers Five critical components 1. Project or research activity engaging a Grand Challenge 2. Interdisciplinary curriculum 3. Entrepreneurship 4. Global dimension 5. Service learning Simon GC Scholar Maggie Hoff working on potable water project in Peru Courtesy Martha AbsherProject Example: Revenue-generating Public Toilets in TogoDuke Prof. Marc Deshusses, Gates Foundation Grand Challenge Scholar: Conner Cotton

Conference Session

Engineering Leadership Development Constituent Committee Division Technical Session 2

Collection

2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Sean Lauderdale King, STEM Talent Expansion Program at LSU; Samantha Noelle Fadrigalan; Adrienne Steele, Louisiana State University; Summer Dann , Louisiana State University; Warren N. Waggenspack Jr., Louisiana State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division

goal is achieved by a variety of freshmen and transitionalprograms. These include: the Encounter Engineering Bridge Camp (E2), transfer student ShadowDays, Career Days and Peer2Peer talks, freshman introductory engineering classes, supplementalinstruction, robotics outreach and engineering activities in K-12 schools, and other communitybased activities. The LSU STEP initiative has improved the overall incoming student retentionrates between 8-15%. This has translated into an increase of overall graduation rates ofapproximately 8-10% for the last 2 years1. One key to the successes of this initiative wasincorporating an interdisciplinary-service based leadership program–Peer Mentoring. The Peer Mentor program started in 2007 with 5 upper