PROGRAM FOR STUDENT RETENTION AND SUCCESS IN ENGINEERING

The world is facing challenges that require a highly-skilled and creative engineering workforce. This paper describes a program that improves the recruitment and retention of highly motivated minority students into engineering disciplines. The program involves recruiting a Pre-Engineering Cohort that participates in a number of enrichment activities, including a Summer Transfer Workshop. The workshop introduces cohort participants to the engineering degree programs offered by Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Participants live in campus residence halls and interact with department faculty, staff and students through several activities, including information sessions, field trips, laboratory tours, and design projects. While students are exposed to the various engineering fields, they also improve their critical thinking and problem solving skills. This paper presents details about the 2009 and 2010 workshops.