Collaborative Research: Northwest Engineering Talent Expansion Partnership

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In the State of Washington, the engineering schools at the two major state universities (University of Washington and Washington State University) and four community colleges (Seattle Central Community College, Yakima Valley Community College, Highline Community College, and Columbia Basin College) along with other institutions in the State have formed the Northwest Engineering Talent Expansion Partnership (NW-ETEP). The overall project goal is to increase by ten percent the total number of students in the State of Washington that earn an undergraduate engineering degree over the next five years. Specifically, over the next five years, the NW-ETEP will 1) increase the number of underrepresented minorities that earn engineering degrees in the State by 100%; 2) increase the number of women that earn engineering degrees in the State by 20%, and 3) develop and implement a statewide strategy to fully utilize the capacity of all the State's engineering programs. Support programs are being jointly developed at each community college with an explicit focus on supporting underrepresented students in engineering with the intent to transfer. These efforts include a comprehensive team comprised of existing faculty and student services providers, an on-site coordinator, and services ranging from academic support to major/career exploration to transfer assistance/support. At the universities, efforts are focusing on increasing the retention of women by maximizing the use of existing services by the large population of women already interested in engineering that enter these institutions. And at the state-level, the team is implementing a comprehensive strategy to increase awareness among high school students, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors of all the options to earn engineering degrees in the state and all the existing support available to students.