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Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering

ISSN for PRINT: 1072-8325

Institutional price:	$211.00
Issues per year:	4

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2000, Volume6

76 pages

Issue price - $42.00

A DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF A PREENGINEERING PROGRAM FOR UNDERREPRESENTED, LOW-INCOME, AND/OR FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON

Paul C. Lam
Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Diversity and Co-op Education Programs, College of Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-3901

P. Ruby Mawasha
College of Engineering and Computer Science, Wright State University; and Diversity in Engineering and Science, College of Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-3901

Dennis Doverspike
Department of Psychology, University of Akron, Akron, OH

Bradley McClain
Academic Achievement Programs, The University of Akron, Akron, OH

John Vesalo
Academic Achievement Programs, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-7908

ABSTRACT

This article summarizes the 5-year effort of a preengineering program to improve the recruitment and retention of underrepresented college students to pursue careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) at The University of Akron. The purpose of this study is to assess The University of Akron's successful operation of the special high school Upward Bound and preengineering Academic Achievement Programs to increase the number of underrepresented students in SMET. The programs are in collaboration with the College of Engineering's Minority Engineering Program, Increasing Diversity in Engineering Academics. The effectiveness of the programs is measured using the following parameters: (1) average high school grade point average before and after participating in preengineering programs, (2) high school math and science achievement, (3) retention rate for students returning from the previous year, and (4) percentage of students committed to SMET upon graduation. The end results of using these strategies are that the targeted students, who have expressed an interest in mathematics and science, are highly motivated and excited about exploring SMET.