This STEP project is using innovative mentoring and professional development activities to (1) institutionalize Integrated Learning Communities for at-risk engineering freshmen, (2) increase engineering and science degrees by 55 degrees per year, (3) support and encourage community college transfer students, and (4) double the graduation rate of at-risk engineering students, defined as those beginning their education in pre-calculus mathematics. Project components include faculty-coordinated Integrated Learning Communities (ILCs), pre-transfer support of community college students, a "Mathematics Boot Camp" to support students' performance on the Mathematics Placement Exam, the integration of science and engineering modules in the algebra series, the Engineering Success and Professional Development Center, and incentive awards. Leveraged support of the NSF-funded Louis Stokes New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation Program (New Mexico AMP) ensures that all students enjoy a broad range of interventions and resources. The STEP project is contributing to the graduation and professional success of STEM students, including those who are historically underrepresented, by improving the educational experiences that lead to greater retention and progression; and providing support and encouragement for students to enroll in graduate studies, including the pursuit of the Ph.D. Project development is being informed by both formative and summative assessment approaches. Results are being shared with local, regional, and national audiences through professional publications and presentations.
PROJECT GOALS: The primary goals of the NMSU STEP Program were to 1) institutionalize Integrated Learning Communities (ILCs) for all freshmen engineering students entering engineering students at the algebra level of mathematics; 2) double the graduation rate of these 'at risk' engineering students; and 3) increase the number of engineering and science degrees at NMSU. PROJECT ACTIVITIES: The primary activities designed to help us accomplish these goals are: 1) Integrated Learning Communities (ILCs) of no more than 25 students each; 2) sustainable enhancements to the mathematics curriculum to integrate engineering applications; 3) summer offerings of a 'Mathematics Boot Camp' to help student refresh their mathematics skills; and 4) professional development opportunities for community college faculty and pre-transfer students in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) fields. INTELLECTUAL MERIT: Project activities and research have helped to advance knowledge and broaden understanding within the STEM disciplines by establishing and disseminating models for nurturing student success, including students who are historically underrepresented in the STEM fields (low income, ethnic and racial minorities, persons with disabilities, and women). Formative assessment provides unique perspectives on student and faculty experiences and continuously informs project development. BROADER IMPACTS: The project contributes to the graduation and professional success of participating students, including those who are historically underrepresented, through improved retention and progression. Through the leveraged support of the New Mexico AMP and the administrative and financial support of the Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost and the College of Engineering, the program supports and enhances institutional research capability, and institutionalizes effective changes in engineering education. Aligned with the land-grant mission of NMSU, the project supports the development and graduation of engineers who have a broad understanding of their professional opportunities and social responsibilities, and encourages them to contribute to economic development and improved living conditions for the citizens of New Mexico. Dissemination at the local, regional, and national level allows for the sharing of best practices and challenges with other members of the broader educational community, thus contributing to their empowerment to impact local and national educational practices and policy. PROJECT Outcomes: Outcomes of the project regarding the educational experiences of NMSU engineering students include the following: Three courses (SMET 101, SMET 102, and EE 109) were developed to support the learning needs of at-risk engineering students in the ILC project. These courses are now providing the foundation for a new college-wide required courses sequence comprised of an Introduction to Engineering seminar (ENGR 101) and a freshman-level engineering design course (ENGR 102), thus accomplishing our primary goal of sustainabilty. Also building on the successes of the STEP project, we have obtained institutonal funding to support a college-wide Peer Mentoring Program. Peer mentoring will begin the first semester, with continued contact and monitoring through the sophomore year. The NMSU Department of English developed an engineering-specific freshman composition and rhetoric course (English 111), which provides discipline-specific training in oral and written communicaiton to engineering students. This aspect of the project will continue to be offered in the coming years. Graduation rates are projected to reach 40% for at-risk engineering students at NMSU, compared to the historical rate of 25% for students entering engineering studies at the algebra level of mathematics. ILC students have an average GPA of 2.62, qualifying most of them for the state-supported "Lottery Success Scholarship," which requires that students earn a minimum GPA of 2.5 for the first semester. This scholarship provides essential financial support to many of our students, for up to eight semesters, as long as they maintain a 2.5 GPA and full-time enrollment. Improving grades so that students can keep their scholarships is a major ILC benefit considering the strong relationship between adequate financial support and STEM persistence, especially for under-represented minorities. Assessment activities reveal additional benefits to students including stronger connections among peers and to faculty, improvements in self-perceived teamwork skills and confidence, a greater understanding of professional ethics, and a recognition of the importance and value of the ILC structure to their improved study and research skills. The STEP project provided the opportunity to establish the Hewlett Foundation Engineering Success and Professional Development Center in Fall 2008. The center provides providing workshops and resources to engineering students, most specifically at the freshman level. Future plans within the college are to identify an even larger space to be designate as a student learning center. Additionally, the NMSU Centers for Learning Assistance are working with the college to place training Student Learning Faciliators in the College of Engineering to provide and support such topics as time management, stress reduction, and note-taking skills. Currently, college and ILC project staff are working with the Centers for Learning Assistance to modify these common workshop topics to better meet the specific needs of engineering students.
