2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Summer bridge is not enough!
In conjunction with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and _____ School of Engineering, the Center for STEM Diversity offers a holistic multi-pronged support program (name blinded) for first-generation, low-income students throughout their journey into, through, and beyond undergraduate engineering. This program begins with a six-week summer bridge experience for the students before they matriculate, but support continues through and beyond graduation. The (name blinded) program recognizes that, in one way or another, the first year of college and retention in engineering is a challenge to all incoming students.
This program is designed to give selected students an opportunity to take two undergraduate courses for credit while participating in academic and college life workshops that help first-year students make the transition from high school to college. (Name blinded program) also takes students on weekends to surrounding fun places to get them acclimated to the greater ______ area.
(Name blinded program) is more than a six-week summer program. Through this program name blinded scholars are supported for academic success and personal growth throughout their four years at ______. Social Integration, Focus on Engineering Majors, Career Preparation, and Refinement and Expeditions are themes around which workshops are designed. First-year students are supported through a pre-major advising group, name blinded -specific tutors, time-management counseling. Each first-year name blinded scholar is paired with an upperclassman peer mentor based on intended major, interests, and personality. Mentors and mentees are given a name blinded peer mentoring handbook, attend mentorship training, and participate in fun activities together to promote the BEST family dynamic. Mentors also meet individually with their mentees to give guidance, answer questions from a student's perspective, and provide insight on specific classes, majors, and experiences at ______.
Sophomore, junior, and senior name blinded scholars continue to meet throughout the academic year for seminars and workshops and are encouraged to attend regular social events to promote cohort engagement and individual achievement. Faculty mentors to name blinded scholars and Industrial visits to different companies is a new addition to the name blinded program.
Name blinded is successfully running its 15th year with very good retention and graduation rates for students. Each year name blinded serves around 48-50 students and there is a plan to expand this program to serve more students and bring in more programming to support students. Having tutoring sessions for all four years, additional summer bridge programs to support learning loss during pandemics and research opportunities for name blinded scholars are some of the future plans to make the name blinded foundation strong.