Civil Engineering Technology Scholarships

Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla WA

Investigators

Abstract

The Civil Engineering Technology department at Walla Walla Community College is awarding 81 scholarships to academically talented and financially needy students over a four-year period. The department is the only two-year program in the six-state northwest region to have received TAC/ABET accreditation. Coupled with a renewed recruitment effort, the scholarships are raising the number of students majoring in civil engineering technology from 25 to 45. This is bringing the number of enrolled students to that experienced a decade ago. The civil engineering program has a history of a high job placement rate. The number of scholarships being awarded for years one through four is 12, 18, 22, and 29 respectively. This number of scholarships is in accord with the institutional need of financial aid for 60% of its students. The institution is putting into place a sustainable scholarship fund with donations received from industry partners during the project period. The institution's 10,000 square mile service area has a multicultural population including a growing number of Hispanics who currently account for over 23% of the population. The project is increasing the proportion of students of Hispanic descent in civil engineering technology to reflect that of the general population.