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BOARD # 188: WIP Enhancing STEM Degree Completion: Progress of the Civil and Mechanical Engineering (CAM) Scholarship Program

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Conference

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Publication Date

June 22, 2025

Start Date

June 22, 2025

End Date

August 15, 2025

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Poster Session

Tagged Division

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

18

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/55541

Paper Authors

biography

Sean Stephen Tolman Utah Valley University

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Sean S. Tolman is an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Program at Utah Valley University in Orem, UT. He earned his BSME degree at Brigham Young University in 2002 and a MSME degree from the University of Utah in 2008 before returning to

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Matthew J Jensen Utah Valley University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-5229-7382

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Dr. Matthew J. Jensen received his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in 2006. Matthew received his doctorate from Clemson University in 2011 in Mechanical Engineering, focused primarily on automotive cont

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Israd Hakim Jaafar Utah Valley University

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Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering. Highly interested in methods to improve engineering education and novel pedagogical approaches. Research interests include advanced and additive manufacturing materials and processes.

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Amanda Bordelon Utah Valley University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-2616-6730

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Amanda Bordelon, PhD, P.E. joined Utah Valley University's faculty in the new Civil Engineering program in August 2018. She has all of her degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering emphasized in transportation infrastructure and construction materials.

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Bennington J Willardson Utah Valley University

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Abstract

This paper presents the progress of the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Scholarship (CAM) project . This is a multi-year project to enhance the degree completion of students in civil and mechanical engineering as part of a National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (NSF-S-STEM) grant. The students participating in this project attend a dual-mission university that aims to provide students with the educational opportunities afforded by both a major university and a community college. The students attending this institution are markedly different than those attending a research-focused institution. Specifically, 37% are first generation, 80% work while enrolled, 30% are over 25 years old, and only 48% are full-time students. These circumstances create challenges in degree completion, leading to high attrition rates at the university level. Specific to the Mechanical and Civil Engineering programs, the first-year retention rate for students starting in 2020 was 64%. This paper will discuss the first-year experience in implementing the project framework which includes (i) scholarship awards, (ii) multi-layered mentoring, (iii) social and academic support via active, collaborative, and inclusive cohorts, (iv) professional preparation, and (v) high impact practices. Survey results of the current students will be presented, along with reflections from the investigators and planned improvements for the following years’ cohorts

Tolman, S. S., & Jensen, M. J., & Jaafar, I. H., & Bordelon, A., & Willardson, B. J. (2025, June), BOARD # 188: WIP Enhancing STEM Degree Completion: Progress of the Civil and Mechanical Engineering (CAM) Scholarship Program Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/55541

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