The project, a collaboration between Michigan State University and Lansing Community College, is developing programs to ease the transition of high school students into engineering undergraduate programs in order to increase the retention rate of these students. Close analysis of institutional statistics has revealed that key courses (early mathematics courses, first term physics, and a computational tools-for-problem-solving course) are pivotal in promoting retention. The project includes (a) a program to provide formative assessments in the key courses with follow-on "bootstrapping" tutorials, (b) a supplemental instruction program for the key courses that has proved to be effective at Lansing Community College, (c) a program to directly engage engineering faculty with early engineering students, and (d) a program to develop and exploit course material from one key course in another. The project goal is to increase the freshman-to-graduation success rate from its current value of 65% to at least 75%. Formal evaluation, with leadership from experts in the University's Institute of Public Policy and Social Research, is using institutional data, surveys of students and faculty members, focus groups and interviews of stakeholders, observations of project activities, and reviews of project materials and products. Instructional materials and approaches and evaluation results are being disseminated through website postings, conference presentations, and journal publications. Broader impacts include the dissemination of their materials and methods and assistance in the economic development of this region.
