Work in Progress: Establishing a Peer-Mentoring Program for Transfer First-Year Engineering Students

Leslie Bartsch Massey; Chris Cagle

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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: First-Year Programs Division WIPS 2: Students and Peer Mentors
Tagged Division: First-Year Programs Division (FYP)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/48355

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Paper Authors

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Leslie Bartsch Massey University of Arkansas

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Leslie Massey is an advanced instructor in the First-Year Engineering Program at the University of Arkansas. She received her BS in Biological Engineering and MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Arkansas. She previously served as a project manager for the Arkansas Water Resources Center, but returned to join the College of Engineering faculty in 2013 to pursue her passion of teaching.

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Chris Cagle

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Abstract

This work in progress will explore the success of a peer mentoring program for transfer students in the First-Year Engineering Program.

The First-Year Engineering Program (FEP) aligns with the College of Engineering's (CoE) objectives to enhance student retention and promote timely graduation rates at our institution. Since FEP was established in 2007, the 2nd year retention rates for CoE increased from 61% to around 70%. For the last several years, the rate has been fluctuating between 71-76%. FEP continually explores new ways to support freshmen engineering students and increase retention rates. FEP is made up of 90% native students who engage in a two semester Introduction to Engineering course sequence. In addition, FEP supports approximately 80 transfer students who are either transferring from an outside institution or from another College at our University. These students complete the graduation requirements for Introduction to Engineering by enrolling in an 8 week, online, asynchronous Introduction to Engineering Course.

Some research has shown that transfer students may exhibit slightly lower retention rates when compared to their counterparts who begin their collegiate studies at a four-year institution as freshmen. Various factors contribute to transfer students’ success, including the challenges associated with adapting to a new campus environment and the potential loss of academic credits during the transfer process. Conversely, alternative studies indicate that transfer students who effectively integrate into their new educational environment, receive appropriate support, and possess well-defined academic and career objectives can achieve similar, if not superior, levels of retention and academic success in comparison to native students.

Peer mentoring presents an invaluable opportunity for first-year engineering students to establish a meaningful connection with experienced upperclassmen who can provide guidance on navigating the challenges associated with coursework and the adjustments encountered during the initial year of their engineering studies. This mentorship program yields numerous advantages for the mentees, encompassing academic support, social integration, personal growth, self-assurance, sense of belonging, and cultural awareness—areas where many first-year college students often face difficulties.

The Peer Mentoring Program, established in 2007, has played an important role in enhancing first-year engineering students' retention, preparing them for their sophomore year, and ultimately contributing to improved graduation rates. Each first-year student within the cohort is assigned a dedicated peer mentor who is an upperclassman. The program mandates weekly meetings with these mentors, an integral component of the first-year engineering course, with participation in these sessions contributing to the students' final course grades. This paper explores the extension of the peer mentoring program to transfer students enrolled in an eight-week online Introduction to Engineering Course beginning in the fall of 2023. It summarizes the benefits gained by these students as participants in the program, shedding light on the potential positive impact of this initiative.

Citation
Format

Massey, L. B., & Cagle, C. (2024, June), Work in Progress: Establishing a Peer-Mentoring Program for Transfer First-Year Engineering Students Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/48355

TY - CPAPER
AB - This work in progress will explore the success of a peer mentoring program for transfer students in the First-Year Engineering Program.

The First-Year Engineering Program (FEP) aligns with the College of Engineering&#39;s (CoE) objectives to enhance student retention and promote timely graduation rates at our institution. Since FEP was established in 2007, the 2nd year retention rates for CoE increased from 61% to around 70%. For the last several years, the rate has been fluctuating between 71-76%. FEP continually explores new ways to support freshmen engineering students and increase retention rates. FEP is made up of 90% native students who engage in a two semester Introduction to Engineering course sequence. In addition, FEP supports approximately 80 transfer students who are either transferring from an outside institution or from another College at our University. These students complete the graduation requirements for Introduction to Engineering by enrolling in an 8 week, online, asynchronous Introduction to Engineering Course.

Some research has shown that transfer students may exhibit slightly lower retention rates when compared to their counterparts who begin their collegiate studies at a four-year institution as freshmen. Various factors contribute to transfer students’ success, including the challenges associated with adapting to a new campus environment and the potential loss of academic credits during the transfer process. Conversely, alternative studies indicate that transfer students who effectively integrate into their new educational environment, receive appropriate support, and possess well-defined academic and career objectives can achieve similar, if not superior, levels of retention and academic success in comparison to native students.

Peer mentoring presents an invaluable opportunity for first-year engineering students to establish a meaningful connection with experienced upperclassmen who can provide guidance on navigating the challenges associated with coursework and the adjustments encountered during the initial year of their engineering studies. This mentorship program yields numerous advantages for the mentees, encompassing academic support, social integration, personal growth, self-assurance, sense of belonging, and cultural awareness—areas where many first-year college students often face difficulties.

The Peer Mentoring Program, established in 2007, has played an important role in enhancing first-year engineering students&#39; retention, preparing them for their sophomore year, and ultimately contributing to improved graduation rates. Each first-year student within the cohort is assigned a dedicated peer mentor who is an upperclassman. The program mandates weekly meetings with these mentors, an integral component of the first-year engineering course, with participation in these sessions contributing to the students&#39; final course grades. This paper explores the extension of the peer mentoring program to transfer students enrolled in an eight-week online Introduction to Engineering Course beginning in the fall of 2023. It summarizes the benefits gained by these students as participants in the program, shedding light on the potential positive impact of this initiative.

AU - Leslie Bartsch Massey
AU - Chris Cagle
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Work in Progress: Establishing a Peer-Mentoring Program for Transfer First-Year Engineering Students
UR - https://peer.asee.org/48355
ER -