Engineering Student Success: Implications of combined Scholarship, Academic, and Community Support Interventions

Seyedehsareh Hashemikamangar; Stephanie S Ivey; Craig O. Stewart; Aaron Robinson

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: Multidisciplinary Engineering Division (MULTI) Technical Session 5
Tagged Division: Multidisciplinary Engineering Division (MULTI)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47291

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Dr. Stephanie Ivey is a Professor with the Department of Civil Engineering in the Herff College of Engineering at the University of Memphis. She directs the Southeast Transportation Workforce Center and the West TN STEM Hub.

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Craig O. Stewart The University of Memphis orcid.org/0000-0002-6843-795X

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Dr. Craig O. Stewart is a professor of Communication at the University of Memphis.

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Aaron Robinson The University of Memphis

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Dr. Aaron L. Robinson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Memphis. He is also a member of the CAESAR DTL and DRONES Research Cluster. His research foci include signal processing, sensor system analysis and design (with a focus on infrared wavelengths), turbulence mitigation, light propagation, and incorporation of electrical engineering concepts to transportation issues such as intelligent transportation system development, freight logistics, pre-emptive malfunction detection, workforce development, and student retention. He serves as faculty advisor for the University of Memphis student chapters of National Society of Black Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

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Abstract

STEM fields play an important role in providing job opportunities and improving economic growth. The United States suffers from a shortage of and lack of diversity in STEM workers, particularly in engineering. One way to alleviate these challenges is to encourage students to choose engineering disciplines and support them as they progress through their engineering programs so that they develop a strong identity and sense of belonging in their chosen discipline. The University of X (UofX) has been collaborating with the University of Colorado Denver and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis in the Urban STEM Collaboratory project since 2018. This NSF-funded project supports academically talented students with demonstrated financial need from the colleges/schools of engineering at the three institutions. The main goals of this project are increasing the recruitment, retention, success, and graduation rates of students and implementing strategies contributing to student academic success, development of STEM identity, and workforce readiness.

In this project, the UofX has supported more than 50 engineering and mathematics students since the academic year 2019-2020. This paper presents participation data, outcomes, and impacts of this five-year experience for UofX scholars. For both scholars and other eligible students, demographic data including gender, race and ethnicity, and first-generation status and academic performance data including overall GPA, GPA in math courses, GPA in major courses, credits received, retention rates, and graduation status are presented. Also, academic performance of scholars and non-scholars (S-STEM eligible students) are compared. The data is also analyzed to report gender and underrepresented/represented demographics.

The UofX scholars showed better academic performance across all measured categories and higher retention rates than S-STEM eligible students. To gain better insight into the impacts of the Urban STEM project on personal and academic life of the scholars, focus groups and interviews were used to allow scholars who have participated in the project to share more detail regarding their experiences, the benefits they gained, and the obstacles they faced. These findings and insights can support implementation or improvement of similar engineering student success initiatives at other institutions.

Citation
Format

Hashemikamangar, S., & Ivey, S. S., & Stewart, C. O., & Robinson, A. (2024, June), Engineering Student Success: Implications of combined Scholarship, Academic, and Community Support Interventions Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47291

TY - CPAPER
AB - STEM fields play an important role in providing job opportunities and improving economic growth. The United States suffers from a shortage of and lack of diversity in STEM workers, particularly in engineering. One way to alleviate these challenges is to encourage students to choose engineering disciplines and support them as they progress through their engineering programs so that they develop a strong identity and sense of belonging in their chosen discipline. The University of X (UofX) has been collaborating with the University of Colorado Denver and Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis in the Urban STEM Collaboratory project since 2018. This NSF-funded project supports academically talented students with demonstrated financial need from the colleges/schools of engineering at the three institutions. The main goals of this project are increasing the recruitment, retention, success, and graduation rates of students and implementing strategies contributing to student academic success, development of STEM identity, and workforce readiness.

In this project, the UofX has supported more than 50 engineering and mathematics students since the academic year 2019-2020. This paper presents participation data, outcomes, and impacts of this five-year experience for UofX scholars. For both scholars and other eligible students, demographic data including gender, race and ethnicity, and first-generation status and academic performance data including overall GPA, GPA in math courses, GPA in major courses, credits received, retention rates, and graduation status are presented. Also, academic performance of scholars and non-scholars (S-STEM eligible students) are compared. The data is also analyzed to report gender and underrepresented/represented demographics.

The UofX scholars showed better academic performance across all measured categories and higher retention rates than S-STEM eligible students. To gain better insight into the impacts of the Urban STEM project on personal and academic life of the scholars, focus groups and interviews were used to allow scholars who have participated in the project to share more detail regarding their experiences, the benefits they gained, and the obstacles they faced. These findings and insights can support implementation or improvement of similar engineering student success initiatives at other institutions.

AU - Seyedehsareh Hashemikamangar
AU - Stephanie S Ivey
AU - Craig O. Stewart
AU - Aaron Robinson
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Engineering Student Success: Implications of combined Scholarship, Academic, and Community Support Interventions
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47291
ER -