Sustainable bridges from campus to campus: Summer bridge program implementation across four campuses
- Conference
- Location
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Minneapolis, MN
- Publication Date
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August 23, 2022
- Start Date
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June 26, 2022
- End Date
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June 29, 2022
- Conference Session
- Page Count
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11
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--42032
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/42032
- Download Count
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295
Paper Authors
Catherine Cohan Pennsylvania State University
Assistant Research Professor: My current responsibilities are managing National Science Foundation-funded engineering education projects. The focus is on graduating more underrepresented students and low-income students in Engineering.
Lauren Griggs Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Lauren Griggs received her B.S. in Engineering Science from The University of Virginia. She received her Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where she worked in the field of Cell and Matrix Biomechanics. She completed her Postdoctoral training in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University, where she sought to elucidate the mechanical linkage between breast cancer and diabetes. Dr. Griggs joined Penn State in the summer of 2019 as an Assistant Teaching Professor, Director of the Multicultural Engineering Program and Director of the Clark Scholars Program. In this role, Dr. Griggs drives initiatives to improve the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups pursuing degrees in engineering and strives to foster a welcoming environment that celebrates culture and inclusion. Her passion lies in mentoring through meaningful career discussions and helping students gain confidence as well as succeed in their chosen degree fields.
Ryan Hassler
Mark Johnson Pennsylvania State University, Altoona Campus
Mikhail Kagan Pennsylvania State University, Ogontz Campus
Associate Professor of Physics, Pennsylvania State University, Abington College
Amy Freeman Pennsylvania State University
Amy Freeman holds a Ph.D. in Workforce Education a Master of Science degree in Architectural Engineering, both from The Pennsylvania State University. Her doctoral dissertation focused on factors that increase graduation rates for underrepresented students in engineering. Dr. Freeman’s research area is the examination of processes, pedagogy and human factors that are involved in the early development and production of a STEM professional. She has managed, created and implemented successful STEM intervention programs for over 20 years. She was awarded the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, sponsored through The White House. She is currently the Director of the Penn State Millennium Scholars Program and Associate Research Professor of Engineering.
Peter Butler Pennsylvania State University
Tonya Peeples Pennsylvania State University
Tonya L. Peeples is the Penn State College of Engineering Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion and a Professor of Chemical Engineering. As Associate Dean, she leads college of engineering equity action planning, continuously working to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Prior to joining Penn State, Dr. Peeples served as Associate Dean for Diversity and Outreach, Associate Director of the University of Iowa Center for Bioctalysis and Bioprocessing, and Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Iowa. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University. The Peeples research group engineers and applies microbial systems and enzymes in chemical reactions. Dr. Peeples has mentored a diverse group of research trainees including high school, undergraduate, and graduate students as well as post-doctoral researchers. She also led several training programs for graduate and undergraduate students across STEM disciplines. Dr. Peeples been an active member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the American Chemical Society (ACS), the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE). She received the Outstanding Service Award and Pioneers of Diversity Award from AIChE Minority Affairs Committee. She received a Million Women Mentors Trailblazer Award from STEM Connector and is a member of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering College of Fellows. Dean Peeples currently serves as a leader in the NSF INCLUDES Aspire Alliance and an Advisory Board Member for The American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) Open Forum on Broadening Participation in STEM.
Abstract
The purpose of the Sustainable Bridges from Campus to Campus project (NSF IUSE #1525367, known locally as Engineering Ahead) is to establish summer bridge programs that serve Engineering students at regional campuses of The Pennsylvania State University. The overarching goal of this project is to increase retention and graduation among underrepresented Engineering students, with a focus on students who start their Penn State education at a regional campus. In 2016, summer bridge programs for incoming Engineering students were started at three regional campuses in the Penn State system, including the Abington, Altoona, and Berks campuses. Recruitment focused on enrolling racially underrepresented domestic students (i.e., African American, Hispanic American, Native American, Pacific Islander), women, and first-generation students in Engineering. The new bridge programs were tailored to the needs and resources of each campus. The project also supported an established summer bridge program for racially underrepresented incoming Engineering students at the flagship University Park campus. The goal of the Engineering Ahead summer bridge programs is to increase retention and graduation through four strategies: intensive math review (pre-calculus, calculus), community building, college success skills, and professional development.
In their review of the STEM summer bridge literature, Ashley and colleagues [1] recommended to “report more information about the details of implementing bridge programs” (p 14). They noted that implementation details often are not described when published articles report on the outcomes of summer bridge programs. However, “A team developing a bridge program would benefit from more information about program logistics” (p. 14).” The 6-year Engineering Ahead project concluded at the end of 2021. Our experience initiating new bridge programs and enrolling 6 cohorts of incoming engineering students in summer bridge programs at regional and flagship campuses with different delivery methods (residential, non-residential day program, synchronous online, hybrid) can inform the higher education STEM community. The purpose of this paper is to address the Ashley et al recommendation about sharing implementation details and provide information on the logistical “how to” of starting, conducting, and hopefully sustaining engineering summer bridge programs at small and large campuses. This paper will discuss the leadership team communication and learning community, engagement of administrative leaders, program costs and resources, participant recruitment and selection focusing on underrepresented students, program size, staffing, curriculum development, sustainability, follow-up interventions, delivery method (residential, non-residential, online, hybrid), expectations for participant conduct, and addressing problems with participant conduct. Please note that outcome data from this project will be reported elsewhere.
Cohan, C., & Griggs, L., & Hassler, R., & Johnson, M., & Kagan, M., & Freeman, A., & Butler, P., & Peeples, T. (2022, August), Sustainable bridges from campus to campus: Summer bridge program implementation across four campuses Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--42032
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