Lipscomb University--Enhancing Engineering Talent in Tennessee

David Lipscomb University, Nashville TN

Investigators

Abstract

This project at Lipscomb University involves implementing a scholarship program to serve 30 undergraduate students. This project is motivated by the Tennessee Promise initiative which will provide free tuition at all state community colleges beginning in 2015. This initiative is projected to initially decrease rolls at the 4-year colleges in the state, therefore the project team will recruit community college pre-engineering program graduates directly into one of their three engineering major programs in civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering. Lipscomb plans to graduate at least 20 of the scholars, thereby increasing the number of engineering graduates at Lipscomb and in the state of Tennessee and contributing to the pool of engineers needed nationwide. Lipscomb has proven very successful in preparation of engineering graduates as they reported 90% first-time passing rates for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and almost 100% placement of graduates into the workforce or graduate school. Five cohorts of six students each will be selected from a pool of students at area community colleges chosen due to historic trends of students/graduates transferring to Lipscomb. The cohorts will benefit from a residential living and learning community and several activities intended to support their learning environment. Traditional student support and career development services will be available to all students including project scholars. Student support services include tutoring, academic workshops, study groups, and academic advising, etc. while career development services such as professional societies, service trips, design competitions employer networking, and mock interviews, etc. will also be available. A broader impact of this program is the potential to provide information to similar schools as it is anticipated more states will adopt plans similar to the Tennessee Promise. Program evaluation will focus on two research questions: 1) what are the effects of the program supports on student, faculty, and staff perceptions of known barriers to success for community college students and community college transfers interested in an engineering career and 2) what are the effects of the program on community college student interest, application, admission, enrollment, retention, and graduation from Lipscomb's engineering program? In addition, the project will explore the impact of the program on transfer support services and engineering career pathways at the participating community colleges and Lipscomb, as well as the impact of the program on community college tracking of pre-engineering student outcomes.