Continuing Success: An I&ET Scholarship Project

U Of Kentucky Madisonville Community College, Madisonville KY

Investigators

Abstract

This project is awarding twelve scholarships per year for two years to students enrolled in an Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial and Engineering Technology. The students are engaged in a learning community that is supported by Support Services staff, which provides a pathway for academic success and becoming part of a growing workforce in regional light-manufacturing plants. The project is leveraging a Trio program that includes Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound programs. These programs identify and encourage academically talented, low-income and first-generation students to achieve postsecondary educational goals. The program is using a well-defined one-on-one recruitment effort by initiating the process through personalized telephone contact, follow-up contact by faculty members, conducting on-campus orientation sessions, and having the students engage in on-campus interviews. The scholarship recipients engage in academic advising with priority registration. Individual education plans are developed in collaboration with faculty and Student Support Services councilors. The cohort scholars are involved in four yearly retention workshops where their Individual Assessment Plan are assessed, areas of concern are identified, and detailed plans of action are developed to address these concerns in order to ensure persistence and graduation. The final workshop facilitates job placement.