This project is a scholarship program for students wishing to pursue degrees in Information Technology, Architectural Technology, Precision Machining Technology or Industrial Technology. This project awards sufficient scholarship support to academically promising, financially disadvantaged students to allow these students to devote a large part of their time to their academic studies by eliminating the need to work more than half-time. Emphasis is placed on recruiting minority/under-represented populations to create a diverse student scholar population. A project team provides an array of specialized student support activities. These include mentoring, individual academic and career advising. Scholarship recipients are able to participate in activities that create a special learning community and contribute to early professional development for the scholars. Special outside the classroom learning opportunities that include site visits to businesses, networking opportunities and service based learning projects enhance each scholar's knowledge and skills. These experiences help enhance job placement opportunities or acceptance into higher degree programs in these technology sectors upon graduation.
The intellectual merit of the project is grounded in an established, tested, and rigorous curriculum, longstanding partnerships with industry leaders, and continuous student/faculty collaborative engagement including individualized faculty advising and continuous monitoring of academic progress. The project's evaluation includes its impact on student recruitment and retention practices and efforts.
The project broadens its impact by identifying and disseminating lessons learned and successful strategies employed to improve student retention and success. This includes use of learning communities, successful recruitment techniques to attract minority and under-represented students and the frequent and continuous interaction of students with faculty and industry advisors/mentors. The lessons learned and strategies developed are shared with others to help improve their recruitment, retention, persistence and career placement efforts through presentation at an academic symposium.
