Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention: Energizing and Supporting Students with Diverse Backgrounds in Mechanical Engineering

在国家科学基金会科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金(S-STEM)计划的资助下，该项目为低收入学生提供支持，这些学生有经济需求，并在巴尔的摩县马里兰大学(UMBC)机械工程专业取得成功。随着技术熟练的婴儿潮一代开始退休并离开劳动力大军，STEM行业面临着迫在眉睫的挑战和机遇。认识到当前和未来对机械工程专业技能劳动力多样化的需求，以及高等教育成本的不断上涨成为许多对工程感兴趣的有才华的学生的障碍，S-STEM Track 2(设计与开发：单一机构)项目将重点放在资金支持和课程和联合课程活动上，旨在促进学生获得学位、职业发展和在STEM相关工作中的就业能力。为了支持学生努力在密歇根大学获得机械工程学士学位，大约45名有学术天赋、有经济需求的本科生，包括从马里兰社区学院转学的学生，将获得最高每年6,000美元的奖学金支持，最长为期四年。奖学金获得者将参加一系列旨在支持他们成功的综合活动。该项目认识到工程学解决社会问题的潜力，让学生参与本科生的研究体验，应用机械和生物工程方法来解决与老龄化相关的人类问题。该项目建立在密歇根州立大学和马里兰州社区学院之间建立的合作伙伴关系的基础上，以改善和调查社区大学生到四年制课程的转学经历、学生在密歇根大学的留存、就业安置和进入研究生院和就业的途径。一项混合方法的定量和定性研究研究将审查积极主动招聘的实施和结果；参与选定的高影响力实践，如定向、一对一教师指导、同行指导和社区建设；参与以研究为重点的活动，如研究研讨会和本科生研究经验；以及参与职业和专业发展活动。该项目将检查和比较参加项目活动的学生的结果，如保留、毕业和成功，与没有参加项目支持和活动的同龄人的结果进行比较。

With funding from the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) program, this project is providing support to low-income students with demonstrated financial need and academic promise to succeed in mechanical engineering at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). STEM industries face a looming challenge and opportunity as skilled baby boomers begin to retire and leave the workforce. Recognizing current and future needs for a diverse skilled workforce in mechanical engineering and the rising cost of higher education that acts as a barrier for many talented students with interests in engineering, this S-STEM Track 2 (Design and Development: Single Institution) project focuses resources and research on financial support coupled with curricular and co-curricular activities designed to facilitate student degree attainment, career development, and employability in STEM-related jobs. To support student efforts to earn baccalaureate degrees in mechanical engineering at UMBC, approximately forty-five academically talented undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need, including students transferring from Maryland community colleges, will receive scholarship support of up to $6,000 per year for up to four years. Scholarship recipients will participate in an integrated set of activities designed to support their success.Recognizing the potential of engineering to address societal issues, the project engages students in undergraduate research experiences that apply mechanical and bio-engineering approaches to solve human problems associated with aging. The project builds on an established partnership between the UMBC and Maryland community colleges to improve and investigate the transfer experience of community college students to four-year programs, student retention at UMBC, and job placement and pathways to graduate school and employment. A mixed-method quantitative and qualitative research study will examine the implementation and outcomes of proactive recruitment; participation in selected high impact practices, such as orientation, one-to-one faculty mentoring, peer mentoring, and community building; participation in research-focused activities, such as research seminars and undergraduate research experiences; and participation in career and professional development activities. The project will examine and compare outcomes, such as retention, graduation, and success, of students participating in project activities to the outcomes of peers not participating in project supports and activities.