Description

This paper introduces two scholarship projects funded by the National Science Foundation that focus on students who transfer at the 3rd year level from 2-year schools to the engineering and engineering technology BS programs at our university. The objectives of both the projects are: (i) to expand and diversify the engineering/technology workforce of the future, (ii) to develop linkages and articulations with 2-year schools and their S-STEM programs, (iii) to provide increased career opportunities and job placement rates through mandatory paid co-op experiences, and (iv) to serve as a model for other universities to provide vertical transfer students access to the baccalaureate degree. The Transfer Pipeline (TiPi) project awarded 25 new scholarships per year from 2012 to 2014 to a total of 75 engineering and engineering technology transfer students. By the end of Fall 2017, 66 (88%) scholars have graduated, 5 (7%) are in process of completing their degrees, and only 4 (5%) left our university, for a 95% retention rate. The paper describes our successes and challenges. The Vertical Transfer Access to the Baccalaureate (VTAB) project recruited its first group of 25 students in Fall 2017 with the goal of recruiting a total of 78 vertical transfers over the next three years. An additional goal of the VTAB project is to conduct research and generate knowledge about the VTAB project elements that will be essential for the success of vertical transfer programs at other universities. The paper describes the research instruments, and the results from an online survey and a focus group interview of the first cohort of VTAB scholars.

Date of creation, presentation, or exhibit

6-1-2018

Comments

©2018 American Society for Engineering Education

Document Type

Conference Paper

Department, Program, or Center

Industrial and Systems Engineering (KGCOE)

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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