2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This NSF S-STEM project was awarded in Fall 2021, and its aim is to address the national need for a well-educated engineering and computing workforce. This will be achieved by supporting the retention and graduation of low-income students with demonstrated financial need and strong academic potential. The project focuses on creating pathways that allow students to progress from an associate and bachelor's degrees (at a regional campus) in technology to a bachelor’s, and possibly even a master's, degree in engineering and computing at the main campus. Over six years, this project aims to provide scholarships to 132 full-time students pursuing associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in engineering, computer science, and related fields. Beyond the financial support, a standout development in the project has been the creation of efficiently packaged learning, or bridge, modules available using the university’s Canvas learning management system (LMS). The objective is to avoid having students repeat courses, thereby reducing the time to graduation. The self-paced online content is designed to address gaps in learning outcomes across programs, which can create significant academic and financial setbacks for students aspiring to advance from a two-year program to higher degrees. Bridge modules of 0.5 to 1.0 credit hours can be paired with previously completed courses to enable students to efficiently meet pre-requisite requirements of the higher degree. To date, four cohorts of students have been recruited through a holistic review process, with recruitment strategies involving high school visits, outreach events, and collaborations with community colleges. As of Fall 2025, 52 students have been funded, with more than $381,015 in scholarships awarded. The diverse body of S-STEM scholars includes 27% female 28% non-white students. Currently, 21 students are being provided scholarships through the program. This paper/poster will highlight progress and specifically detail the prerequisite bridge modules developed for students in mechanical engineering technology programs pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mechanical and Smart Manufacturing Engineering.