Civil and Geological Engineering Service-Learning Projects as Part of a Pre-Engineering Education Collaborative

Three educational institutions in South Dakota are collaborating to develop pre-engineering courses to increase the enrollment and success of students transferring from Oglala Lakota College (OLC) to 4-year bachelor degree programs in science and engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) and South Dakota State University (SDSU) through a grant from the National Science Foundation Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP). In addition to the development and delivery of these courses, an aggressive summer schedule of service learning projects has been incorporated into the program. The objectives of these projects is to provide a hands-on introduction to science and engineering topics, promote community involvement and service, and to stimulate student interest and motivation to pursue these fields of study. This paper describes the activities of the OLC/SDSU/SDSMT Pre-Engineering Education Collaborative (OSSPEEC) program and two service learning projects related to civil and geological Engineering. Results indicate a high level of mentor involvement and coordination at each institution is an important component to a successful experience for the students. The first year of the program also indicates that student collaboration, variety in project related activities, and active community involvement help support student motivation and interest in their science and engineering related activities.