Statler Increasing Access and Diversity in Engineering Program (ADE)

West Virginia University Research Corporation, Morgantown WV

Investigators

Abstract

The focus of this program is to increase the number of students from traditionally underrepresented groups who pursue undergraduate degrees in engineering in the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University. The program will provide merit scholarships to academically talented, low-income students with a focus on first-generation college students, females, African-Americans and Hispanics. Recipients of the scholarships will participate in a pre-fall bridge program, specialized first-year courses, and a variety of co-curricular activities designed to provide support and increase retention in engineering degrees. The major goals of the program are to increase the annual enrollment of underrepresented students in the engineering programs, to enhance curricular and co-curricular support services for these students, to develop and utilize partnerships with local and regional engineering companies and to assess the impact of these activities on student motivation and success. Plans for project implementation include facilitating student participation in activities designed to increase retention including enrollment in common courses, participation in live-learn communities, academic advising and tutoring, and multi-tier mentoring from academia and industry with opportunities for internships and undergraduate research. Program activities will be assessed to determine the relationship between program participation and academic success, what elements of the program most significantly impact success, how practical and logistical challenges are overcome, and what the longitudinal impact of the program is on motivation, perceptions, feelings of inclusion, and overall outcome. Data from the project will be used to identify successful program elements that can be disseminated to other institutions to foster persistence and perseverance of under-represented and low socioeconomic status students in engineering programs.