SCHOLARS OF EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM PHASE I: DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION KARINNA M. VERNAZA, PH.D. THERESA M. VITOLO, PH.D. SCOTT E. STEINBRINK, PH.D. BARRY J. BRINKMAN, PH.D. 118 th ASEE Annual Conference, Vancouver, Canada June 29, 2011
Outline NSF S-STEM Grant Objectives Seminar Experiential Activities Design Personal Professional University Support Implementation Majors Survey results Lessons Learned and Future Plans
From Small Acorns. Original idea Fund Engineering Summer Camp NSF, Directorate of Undergraduate Education Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) Applied in November 2007 Grant of $600,000 awarded in July 2008
Goals Increase academically talented, financially disadvantaged Assist students through graduation Scholarships Academic Support Foster professional development
Objectives #1 Support 20 students Per year #2 Build referral network #3 Offer program of student `` service support Target 90% retention #4 Enable professional development Target graduate studies or employment
Seminar Activities Each semester of the seminar includes three components Design 50% of the semester meeting time Two class-cohorts working together Professional development Personal development
Seminar: Semester Schedule Week Type Class-Cohort 1 Introduction / Lecture All scholars 2 Workshop Pers. Dev. Individual academic levels 3 Social All scholars 4 Design Freshmen and Seniors / Sophomores and Juniors 5 Design Freshmen and Seniors / Sophomores and Juniors 6 Design Freshmen and Seniors / Sophomores and Juniors 7 Speaker All scholars 8 Fall Break 9 Design Freshmen and Seniors / Sophomores and Juniors 10 Workshop Prof. Dev. Individual academic levels 11 Design Freshmen and Seniors / Sophomores and Juniors 12 Seminar / Social All scholars 13 Design Freshmen and Seniors / Sophomores and Juniors 14 Thanksgiving 15 Design All scholars 16 Dinner Pers. Dev. All scholars
Two-Year Design Sequence First Year (Conceptual Design; Seniors mentor Freshman) Second Year (Embodiment Phase; Juniors mentor Sophomores) Fall Defining a Project Analysis of Design Alternatives Design Perspectives Develop Models Understanding Constraints Test Models Proposing Design Alternatives Selection of Design Concept Measuring Risks and Success Design Perspectives Spring Expectations Change Management Development of Design Solution Freshman Design Projection Testing in-situ Implementation of Design Solution Evaluation of Design Solution
Completed Design Projects: Boat Launch Ramp Stakeholder: Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies Completed in Academic Year 2009-2010
Completed Design Projects: Bicycle Powered Generator Stakeholder: Service Learning Office, Gannon University Completed in Academic Years 2009-2011
Current Design Projects: Sediment Capture Device Stakeholder: Started Fall 2010 Estimated Completion: May 2012 Build a device to capture sediment Collect sediment for analysis (2 liters) Determine stream flow Identify pollutant load
Professional and Personal Development Objective: Develop life-long, life-enriching, lifebalancing skills in the scholars Adapted LIFECORE, Gannon University s approach for fostering holistic development
Professional Development SEMESTER ACTIVITY CLASS-COHORT / SEMESTER-FOCUS Workshop: You and Your Academics; Career Assessment Inventory 4-Weeks of Co-Op Preparation Course; Resume Preparation Interview of Professionals in Career Path Resume Refinement; Career Fair Attendance Interview Preparation; Mock Interview; Graduate School Fair Attendance GRE or GMAT Practice Exams; Conference Attendance; Active Participation at Career Fair Workshop: You and Your Job; Active Participation at Career Fair Workshop: Job Searching; Conference Presentation; FE or Certification Preparation and Testing Freshman / Fall Freshman / Spring Sophomore / Fall Sophomore /Spring Junior / Fall Junior / Spring Senior / Fall Senior / Spring
Professional Activities
Personal Development SEMESTER ACTIVITY Learning Styles Inventory Stress Management Training Meditation Technique Training Workshop: Emotional Intelligence Mock Interviews Workshop: You and Your Peers Exploration into Individual Attributes & Values LifeCore Assessment with Work-Week Visualization CLASS-COHORT / SEMESTER-FOCUS Freshman / Fall Freshman / Spring Sophomore / Fall Sophomore /Spring Junior / Fall Junior / Spring Senior / Fall Senior / Spring
And the FUN Component First Year Second Year Fall General Dining Etiquette Professional Attire Spring International Dining Etiquette International Dining Awareness
University Support Services Admissions Student Organizations and Leadership Development Career Placement Marketing Office of Service Learning Affiliated Academic Departments Student Success Center Financial Aid
First Two Years of Implementation Patterns of applicants Major selection Academic quality Geographic distribution Satisfaction of scholars
Percentage in Major 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Computer Science Selected Majors Electrical & Computer Engr. Environmental Engr. Mechanical Engr. Software Engr. SEECS Scholarship Applicants, 2009 & 2010 Freshmen 2010 Enrolled, Engineering & Computer Science Overall Information Systems
Academic Quality Semester Number of Applicants Acceptance Rate by Applicants Average High School GPA of Applicants Average High School GPA of ECS Freshmen 2010 Fall 09 18 44.44% 3.93 Fall 10 14 42.86% 3.95 3.56 Fall 11 16 50.00% 3.76
700 2 4.35% 10.87% Geographic Distribution Miles from University Number of SEECS Applicants Percentage of SEECS Applicants Percentage of Freshmen 2010 Enrolled, ECS 5 10 21.74% 28.26% 15 3 6.52% 2.17% 20 2 4.35% 4.35% 100 10 21.74% 32.61% 200 17 36.96% 15.22% 300 2 4.35% 6.52%
End-of-Year Assessment STRENGTHS Overall on all items Strongly Agree or Agree Satisfied with seminar Appreciated engineering design Increased awareness of interdisciplinary interactions in engineering Provided professional experiences WEAKNESSES Marketing Intercohort interactions
Lessons Learned Be aware of Admissions Office interests and ensure control over scholarship acceptance Work closely with Financial Aid Office Track carefully students progress Provide enough opportunities for cross-cohort bonding
Future Plans Strengthening of the relationship between SEECS and school districts Intermediate Unit 5 Education Specialist at Local High Schools Use SEECS program to enhance minority and women representation Apply for renewal of NSF S-STEM funding Model for Engineering Honors Program
Acknowledgement