2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This paper describes activities, preliminary findings, and outcomes from a five-year, NSF-sponsored project at Purdue University Fort Wayne to increase the number of students who complete engineering, engineering technology, and computer science degrees. Purdue University Fort Wayne is an metropolitan, non-selective institution with a high percentage of under-prepared, first-generation, low income, commuter students, many of whom work. The objectives of this project are to (a) increase graduation rates of the STEM cohorts; (b) build the foundation for a sustainable institutional structure and support STEM scholars and other students; (c) carry out research designed to advance understanding of the factors, practices, and curricular and co-curricular activities that affect the retention of students and their degree completion; and (d) integrate the best practices into the educational culture of institution. This paper describes preliminary data from a survey of 304 students in the college of engineering, technology, and computer science taken over a three-year period that shows that a typical student receives financial aid, commutes, attends full time (at least when starting), and works. In addition, typical students report not being well connected with faculty, mentors, or student study groups. And, despite most students receiving financial aid, many still have financial difficulties. Based on these findings, three tools to enhance student success, designed by the faculty learning community, are described: 1. Success Assessment Tool—a Qualtrics-based risk assessment as means for self-evaluation of barriers (academic, time, or financial) to success and collaborative evaluation of students’ current status and needs with their faculty mentor; 2. Risk Indicator Survey—a Qualtrics instrument to flag students who are struggling in a particular class. Students who are flagged will be advised of support services and encouraged to develop a personalized improvement plan; 3. Engineer Your Success—a worksheet activity given to students to (a) monitor progress in a specific class, (b) assist students in self-identification of barriers to success that might exist in a specific class, and (c) provide a process for students to develop a personalized improvement plan. Finally, efforts to increase mentoring, tutoring, and career development are discussed.