Engineering Scholars Program

Cal Poly Pomona Foundation, Inc., Pomona CA

Investigators

Abstract

The goal of the Engineering Scholars Program (ESP) at Cal Poly Pomona (CPP) is to support academically talented, financially-needy students who might otherwise have to leave their undergraduate engineering program for a semester or more in order to earn tuition money. The award will increase the number of students who successfully graduate with degrees in Engineering. ESP specifically supports students who are low-income, first-generation college students and/or from underrepresented groups in Engineering. ESP will identify 20 motivated and eligible students annually in the College of Engineering (5 freshmen, 5 sophomores, 5 juniors, and 5 seniors). The ESP will build upon a variety of strategies that have been proven to be effective in the recruitment, retention, and graduation of disadvantaged and URM students at CPP. Program activities include 1) monthly monitoring of student progress; 2) supplemental instructional support via group study, tutorial services, professional development workshops, and linkage to appropriate student organizations; 3) advisement regarding undergraduate academic programming, career and graduate school planning; 4) opportunities to engage in faculty mentored research experiences; 5) financial support via financial aid and ESP scholarships, as well as assistance in applying to other internship, paid research, and scholarship opportunities. The principal goals of the Engineering Scholars Program are threefold: 1. To increase the number of financially disadvantaged, underrepresented minority (URM), and female students who graduate in the fields of Engineering; 2. To enhance participant educational achievements via professional development opportunities embedded in a cohesive infrastructure of support; and 3. Assess the impact of ESP activities to allow the ESP staff, College of Engineering, and CPP to make evidence-based decisions regarding the development of under-served minority students preparing to enter the engineering workforce or to continue on to graduate studies. To provide formative and summative evaluation, the project will use a mixture of qualitative measures, including surveys and reflective reports, as well as quantitative measures, including retention data and comparative transcripts. The project also has an advisory board of alumni and industrial affiliates who will provide guidance to the overall direction of the project.