Realizing Engineering Technology Achievement (RETA)

Portland Community College, Portland OR

Investigators

Abstract

Portland Community College (PCC) Sylvania's Realizing Engineering Technology Achievement (RETA) project increases the number of educated and skilled engineering technology employees in the Portland metropolitan area, focusing on females and minorities underrepresented in STEM careers. The project provides scholarships to students enrolled in Civil/Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electronic Engineering Technology, and Machine Manufacturing Technology, with the expectation that four cohorts of 13 students will receive support for two years. Six scholars who transfer to Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) seeking a baccalaureate degree will also receive a one-year scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded based upon academic achievement and financial need. Additional program elements will help ensure that scholars are recruited and retained within the program. A cohort-building structure including monthly roundtables, sponsored events, mentoring and tutoring of first year scholars by second year scholars will cement relationships among scholars. Opportunities to strengthen interactions with PCC and OIT engineering faculty and industry representatives allows scholars the chance to be mentored by professionals while exploring further college and career options. The project uses strategies developed by other NSF-sponsored initiatives on recruiting and retaining women and underrepresented minorities in engineering. Initiating these strategies in outreach materials and existing engineering courses broadens the participation of women and underrepresented minorities in the target programs. Additionally, it adds to the intellectual merit of the project and the engineering field overall by adding to the body of knowledge of what works in recruiting and retaining these target populations in STEM majors. PCC and OIT will collaborate in both formative and summative evaluations of the RETA project. The project will collect a variety of data including surveys, student records, and student tracking to evaluate the project's effectiveness.