BRCC to LSU Engineering Pathway to Success

Sarah Cooley Jones; Warren N. Waggenspack

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Conference: 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Seattle, Washington
Publication Date: June 14, 2015
Start Date: June 14, 2015
End Date: June 17, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-692-50180-1
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Two-year College Division: Authors Address Transfer Matters-Part I
Tagged Division: Two Year College Division
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 17
Page Numbers: 26.288.1 - 26.288.17
DOI: 10.18260/p.23627
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/23627
Download Count: 501

Paper Authors

biography

Sarah Cooley Jones Louisiana State University

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Sarah Cooley Jones, Associate Director, Louisiana State University College of Engineering, Student Services and Diversity Initiatives, joined the Office on a fulltime basis in 2009, and she develops and manages scholarships, fellowships and professional development programs for undergraduate and graduate engineering students. These programs include scholarships, seminar series and activities that develop the student academically and professionally so that students can persist in engineering, complete a degree program and contribute as professional engineers.

Ms. Jones joined LSU in 1992 as a College of Engineering research associate in the area of environmental analyses and worked on numerous projects including utilization of industrial by-products, water quality analyses and wastewater treatment. She received her B.S. Chemistry (1980), from The University of Houston

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Warren N. Waggenspack Jr. Louisiana State University

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Abstract

XXCC to XXU Engineering Pathway to SuccessThe National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM funded scholarship program, EngineeringPathway to Success, is a joint effort of the College of Engineering at XXU and XX CommunityCollege, and it supports the engineering degree progression program with students earning aXXCC associate of science in engineering and completing a bachelor’s of science engineeringdegree at XXU. Over three years, the program has provided scholarships and academic/professional support to 24 students who demonstrate academic talent and financial need. Another11 students will be added during year four. The primary goals of the program are: to utilizescholarships to create and sustain a pathway for XXCC transfer students and to develop asuccessful model for transfer students from other community colleges and 4-year institutionsbased on the experiences and outcomes of the project.The Pathway Scholarship project in collaboration with the STEP 1B Engineering Grant hasspecific objectives that will support these goals. They are: (1) develop and maintain an effectiveliaison between XXCC and XXU; (2) utilize scholars to develop a peer ambassador/mentorprogram facilitating transfer success; (3) establish and conduct a pre-transfer academiccounseling program; (4) expand existing seminars to orient and integrate XXCC and othertransfer students into XXU and (5) invite XX CC math, science and engineering faculty toparticipate in ongoing Faculty Development.Activities of the program to date have included outreach, professional development, advising,and developing an overall assessment tool. All scholars participated in outreach activities thatconsisted of Peer-to-Peer talks at XXCC each semester and Shadow Days at XXU for XXCCstudents. The Pathway scholars have been incorporated into the formalized College Peer MentorTraining program and participated in the Transfer Career Day for new transfer students.Advising for XXCC students was enhanced with the addition of a counselor who spends time atboth campuses. Survey tools were created to gain a better understanding of the transfer studentsat key points of their academic career and to assess the program. The questionnaire has beenadministered to students considering transferring to XXU and Pathway scholars.Scholarships have been awarded to three cohorts; Cohort 1- five students, Cohort 2 – sevenstudents and Cohort 3 - twelve students. The eligibility and selection criteria included earningpre-engineering AS degree from XXCC with a 2.75 minimum cumulative GPA and financialneed, and the selection committee included faculty and staff from both campuses. All scholarsfrom Cohort 1 have graduated and their mean GPA was 3.22. Cohort 2 has entered the fourthsemester at XXU (fall 2014), and the group mean GPA is 3.00. Program retention for Cohort 2 is66% and engineering retention is 100% (one student went to part-time status as engineeringmajor and another transferred to another university as an engineering major). Cohort 3 studentshave entered either the second or third semester at XXU (fall 2014), and the group mean GPA is3.06. Retention for Cohort 3 is 100%. These preliminary results indicate that the Pathwayscholars will have a graduation rate that greatly exceeds the historical (2003-2009) 25% rate forXXCC transfers to XXU. Overall, the Pathway Scholar Program is rated very highly by thescholars according to the questionnaire, and the program is delivering on its promise ofsupporting the students financially so they can focus more on their education, and connectingstudents with others in their field.

Citation
Format

Jones, S. C., & Waggenspack, W. N. (2015, June), BRCC to LSU Engineering Pathway to Success Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.23627

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -                     XXCC to XXU Engineering Pathway to SuccessThe National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM funded scholarship program, EngineeringPathway to Success, is a joint effort of the College of Engineering at XXU and XX CommunityCollege, and it supports the engineering degree progression program with students earning aXXCC associate of science in engineering and completing a bachelor’s of science engineeringdegree at XXU. Over three years, the program has provided scholarships and academic/professional support to 24 students who demonstrate academic talent and financial need. Another11 students will be added during year four. The primary goals of the program are: to utilizescholarships to create and sustain a pathway for XXCC transfer students and to develop asuccessful model for transfer students from other community colleges and 4-year institutionsbased on the experiences and outcomes of the project.The Pathway Scholarship project in collaboration with the STEP 1B Engineering Grant hasspecific objectives that will support these goals. They are: (1) develop and maintain an effectiveliaison between XXCC and XXU; (2) utilize scholars to develop a peer ambassador/mentorprogram facilitating transfer success; (3) establish and conduct a pre-transfer academiccounseling program; (4) expand existing seminars to orient and integrate XXCC and othertransfer students into XXU and (5) invite XX CC math, science and engineering faculty toparticipate in ongoing Faculty Development.Activities of the program to date have included outreach, professional development, advising,and developing an overall assessment tool. All scholars participated in outreach activities thatconsisted of Peer-to-Peer talks at XXCC each semester and Shadow Days at XXU for XXCCstudents. The Pathway scholars have been incorporated into the formalized College Peer MentorTraining program and participated in the Transfer Career Day for new transfer students.Advising for XXCC students was enhanced with the addition of a counselor who spends time atboth campuses. Survey tools were created to gain a better understanding of the transfer studentsat key points of their academic career and to assess the program. The questionnaire has beenadministered to students considering transferring to XXU and Pathway scholars.Scholarships have been awarded to three cohorts; Cohort 1- five students, Cohort 2 – sevenstudents and Cohort 3 - twelve students. The eligibility and selection criteria included earningpre-engineering AS degree from XXCC with a 2.75 minimum cumulative GPA and financialneed, and the selection committee included faculty and staff from both campuses. All scholarsfrom Cohort 1 have graduated and their mean GPA was 3.22. Cohort 2 has entered the fourthsemester at XXU (fall 2014), and the group mean GPA is 3.00. Program retention for Cohort 2 is66% and engineering retention is 100% (one student went to part-time status as engineeringmajor and another transferred to another university as an engineering major). Cohort 3 studentshave entered either the second or third semester at XXU (fall 2014), and the group mean GPA is3.06. Retention for Cohort 3 is 100%. These preliminary results indicate that the Pathwayscholars will have a graduation rate that greatly exceeds the historical (2003-2009) 25% rate forXXCC transfers to XXU. Overall, the Pathway Scholar Program is rated very highly by thescholars according to the questionnaire, and the program is delivering on its promise ofsupporting the students financially so they can focus more on their education, and connectingstudents with others in their field.
AU  - Sarah Cooley Jones
AU  - Warren N. Waggenspack Jr.
CY  - Seattle, Washington
DA  - 2015/06/14
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - BRCC to LSU Engineering Pathway to Success
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/23627
DO  - 10.18260/p.23627
ER  -