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The Minority Engineering Transfer and Articulation (META) Program: Building Stronger Pathways and Developing Student Achievement

Ricardo B. Jacquez, Jeanne Garland, J. Phillip King, Michele Auzenne, Steven Peralta, and Hilario Rubio New Mexico State University/ Santa Fe Community College/ And Luna Community College

Abstract

The Minority Engineering Transfer and Articulation program (META) is a 36-month project that took place between 2001 and 2004. The program is a cooperative effort between community colleges, New Mexico State University (NMSU), and five civil engineering industry partners. The goals of the program were to address the need for more civil engineers, to increase the representation of minorities and women within the technological workforce, to boost the transfer rate and numbers of students to bachelor’s programs in civil engineering, and to provide a coordinated education pathway from community college pre-engineering programs to bachelor’s degree programs in civil engineering. The META program’s primary efforts have been focused on recruitment and retention of students by providing 1) a summer bridge component that introduces students to civil engineering and the field’s technology applications and that prepares students for success as civil engineering majors, 2) industry-supported opportunities, and 3) year- round advising support on career opportunities. This paper focuses on the challenges we faced in developing and maintaining the META program and presents the positive outcomes, such as strengthened industry and community college relationships, engaging student activities, student internships, and the increase of students entering SMET fields, particularly civil engineering. The paper reflects plans for sustainability by further collaborations with our community college and industry partners.

Introduction

Representing a joint effort of New Mexico State University, Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), Luna Community College (Luna CC), and five regional civil engineering industry partners, the Minority Engineering Transfer and Articulation program (META) was designed to help thoroughly prepare pre-engineering students in community colleges for entry into the civil engineering bachelor’s degree program at NMSU. The idea for the program was conceived as a pre-engineering bridge program for the New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation (New Mexico AMP) community colleges. This idea evolved into the META Program, a National Science Foundation-funded technology-oriented community college to bachelor’s degree transfer program that is sponsored by New Mexico AMP. The 36-month program that took place between 2001 and 2004 was designed with several major components: 1) a three-week Summer

“Proceedings of the 2005 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2005, American Society for Engineering Education”

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Auzenne, M., & Garland, J., & King, J. P., & Jacquez, R. (2005, June), The Minority Engineering Transfer And Articulation (Meta) Program: Building Stronger Pathways And Fostering Student Achievement Paper presented at 2005 Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--15512