Strategies for Increasing Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation in Two Baccalaureate Degree STEM Programs: Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) and Safety Management (SM)
- Conference
- Location
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Virtual On line
- Publication Date
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June 22, 2020
- Start Date
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June 22, 2020
- End Date
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June 26, 2021
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Minorities in Engineering
- Tagged Topic
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Diversity
- Page Count
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12
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--35209
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/35209
- Download Count
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525
Paper Authors
A. Mehran Shahhosseini Indiana State University
A. Mehran Shahhosseini is a Professor in the Department of Applied Engineering and Technology
Management and director of the PhD Program in Technology Management at Indiana State University. He has published over 50 articles in different journals and conference proceedings. He has served as an investigator for research projects sponsored by National Science Foundation, Ford Motor Company, and the US Army. Before working at Indiana State University, he was a faculty
in the University of Louisville for 10 years. He also has over four years of industrial experience.
He received his D.Eng. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lamar University (USA) in 1999, M.Sc. in Materials Engineering from Isfahan University of Technology in 1991, and B.Sc. in Metallurgical Engineering from Tehran University in 1988. He is a member of ASEE, ASME, and ATMAE.
Farman A. Moayed Indiana State University
Dr. Moayed is an Associate Professor in the College of Technology in Indiana State University since 2008. He received his BS in Industrial Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran and MS and PhD from University of Cincinnati. Dr. Moayed has been teaching occupational safety courses such as fire protection, industrial hygiene, ergonomics and human factors at graduate and undergraduate levels. He has research and publications in human factors and ergonomics, maintenance management, artificial neural network modeling.
Alister McLeod Indiana State University
Alister McLeod is an Associate professor at Indiana State University in its Applied Engineering Technology Management department. His research interests span the widespread adoption of operational improvement strategies as well as technologies in the manufacturing sector. Previously, his research has made contributions to the sustainability of lean improvement strategies for first time implementers. In essence, his research aids in the training of a modern manufacturing workforce to cope with both internal and external competitive pressures.
Abstract
This article presents a proactive recruitment and support strategy geared towards increase enrollment, retention, and graduation in baccalaureate degree Engineering Technology programs. The strategy aims to institutionalize recruitment techniques of low-income and talented students, increase participation of students from under-represented groups including females and also increase co-curricular activities. Recruitment is the initial component of the strategy and it is pegged to the provision of rich educational experiences and scholarships. Experiences provided are based on a strong professional and supportive network of industry partners that work alongside faculty in creating learning environments that are typical of a particular occupation. To engage students the inclusion of the following activities is paramount: 1) creating a strong cohort framework for students, 2) developing mentor relationships, and 3) hosting co-curricular activities to promote interaction, learning, and exchange. Student support is aimed to create a strong network that connects students to each other and their faculty, the college, and the institution as a whole. This is the main drive of increased participation and once this is complete then students are expected to start engaging in co-curricular activities. These activities are the participation in industry forums and guided industry tours, internships or cooperative work experiences, soft skill honing geared toward career readiness. These activities are undertaken so that job placement in a chosen career occurs upon graduation. New opportunities for professional interactions with the industry partners will help integrate the undergraduate experience with the real-world workplace, resulting in enhanced focus, interest, and success for the students. In this paper, we present a theoretical model that holistically approaches recruitment, retention and employment in baccalaureate degree Engineering Technology programs.
Shahhosseini, A. M., & Moayed, F. A., & McLeod, A. (2020, June), Strategies for Increasing Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation in Two Baccalaureate Degree STEM Programs: Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) and Safety Management (SM) Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--35209
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