The project, a partnership between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska's six community colleges, is increasing the number of students that are successfully pursuing and obtaining baccalaureate degrees in engineering. The overall goal is to develop and institutionalize an effective pathway enabling community college students to complete several freshman and sophomore engineering courses and transfer seamlessly into the University's College of Engineering. Academic, financial, and social support is being provided to transfer students to ensure retention and encourage completion of a baccalaureate engineering degree in the traditional timeframe. The project's objectives are: (1) increasing the number of students transferring into engineering so that the percentage of transfer students choosing engineering is equal to the College's percentage of total students enrolled; (2) increasing by 100% the number of underrepresented minority students transferring into the College each year; (3) increasing by 100% the number of women transferring into the College each year; (4) retaining at least 80% of all transfer students; and (5) graduating at least 65% of all transfer students after three years of enrollment in the College. These increases in enrollment and graduation rates are being achieved through an expanded physical and administrative infrastructure that supports students transferring from community college programs to engineering. Specifically, the project is working to: (1) develop and implement four new introductory community college engineering courses along with corresponding articulation agreements; 2) establish a complementary set of student support activities that facilitate mentoring, community building, and retention, particularly among women and minority transfer students; and (3) facilitate paid internship opportunities to complement the high quality instruction students are receiving. Internal and external advisory boards are guiding the project and an evaluation team is in place. Broader impacts include an increase in the participation of students from underrepresented groups, the redefinition of the engineering transition process from community colleges to the University, and a broad dissemination of the project's results.
(STEP) project to address the limited diversity of its student population and to facilitate the completion of engineering programs for transfer students. The goal is to develop and institutionalize an effective engineering pathway to enable community college (CC) students in Nebraska to complete select freshman and sophomore engineering courses and transfer seamlessly into the UNL COE. Project activities began in fall 2006 and continued through summer 2012. This evaluation report includes a brief analysis of evaluation data collected over the six year period of the grant. The program served at least 280 students across the 6 Nebraska (CC). Twenty-five percent (25%) of students who took a STEP engineering course at the CC transferred to UNL. Of students who transferred 73% transferred into the COE as of spring 2012. CC instructors and UNL STEP project administrators reported that the number of STEP students who transferred to the UNL COE was small but students were more prepared. Overall, the number of transfer students from CC into the UNL COE increased, but the increases were small in comparison to original goals. CC STEP students attitudes about STEP outcome areas stayed about the same across the six program years with some ratings showing fluctuation. Findings from an analysis of comparison student surveys and STEP student surveys revealed that STEP students who transferred to UNL had higher ratings for their intentions to pursue a career in engineering and their familiarity with UNL requirements than did comparison students or students who did not transfer to UNL. CC instructors reported that the STEP program had impacted their knowledge, skills, and teaching practices. The Summer Learning Institute evaluation findings revealed that CC instructors increased their knowledge in the engineering content area and improved their teaching practices. Perceptions about the sustainability of STEP program components were mixed. Some CC instructors through their programs would continue while others were no as certain because of funding issues. Some indicated that components of the STEP program would continue such as the communication between CCs and that UNL would assist transfer studetns. UNL STEP project administrators were concenred about knowledge and skill levels of instructors as changes in CC personnel changed over time. University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s (UNL) College of Engineering (COE) received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a Strengthening Transitions into Engineering Programs (STEP) project to address the limited diversity of its student population and to facilitate the completion of engineering programs for transfer students. The goal of UNL STEP is to develop and institutionalize an effective engineering pathway to enable community college students in Nebraska to complete select freshman and sophomore engineering courses and transfer seamlessly into the UNL College of Engineering. Project activities began in fall 2006 and continue through summer 2012. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE
