Career Development in Construction Engineering through an Academic and Industry Network

该项目将通过支持在加州州立理工大学波莫纳分校（calpoly Pomona或CPP）有经济需求的高成就低收入学生的保留和毕业，为全国对受过良好教育的科学家、数学家、工程师和技术人员的需求做出贡献。加州理工波莫纳分校是加州州立大学（CSU）系统内的23个校区之一，也是HSI指定的机构，50%的学生是西班牙裔，其中54%属于代表性不足的少数民族（URM）， 62%是第一代大学生，45%是佩尔助学金获得者。该计划为期5年，将资助45名修读建筑工程与管理学士学位的本科生，以及75名参加暑期实习的本科生。一年级学生将获得最多四年的奖学金支持，转学生将获得最多两年的奖学金。该项目旨在通过提高西班牙裔和URM学生的留校率、学生成功率和毕业率，提高学生对CEM学科的坚持度。该项目将实施循证课程和课外活动来支持学生。该项目将在学期期间提供研究助理奖学金，并在暑期提供在建筑公司实习的机会，以展示追加资助的影响，从而提高有学习能力和天赋的低收入家庭学生的学习成绩。由于加州理工波莫纳分校的拉美裔学生人数众多，因此该项目有可能扩大STEM领域的参与度，并使教师了解如何使用指导和个人发展计划来支持学生群体的保留和毕业。该项目的总体目标是增加低收入，有经济需求的高成就本科生完成STEM学位，即建筑工程和管理学士学位。指导这个项目的具体目标有三个。首先是重点开展招生活动，如信息发布会、客座讲座或大使项目，以扩大澳电学生的数量。二是解决行业股权缺口问题，提供资金支持。第三是实施有效的、以证据为基础的课程和课外活动，以提高学生的成功、学术/职业道路和毕业。虽然近年来URM代表人数的差距有所改善，但仍然很低。这就需要以证据为基础的干预措施来招募和留住更多的URM，努力显著增加URM的代表性，并培养更合格的劳动力，以应对行业不断增长的需求。该项目将调查CPP当前CEM学生（URM，女性，第一代和低收入大学生）的挑战，并实施招聘和保留活动，以支持毕业生在建筑行业取得成功的职业生涯。该项目将使用形成性（过程）和总结性（结果）评估进行评估。该项目的结果将在加州工程联络委员会（CAELC）会议和会议报告中提供。该项目由美国国家科学基金会的科学、技术、工程和数学奖学金项目资助，该项目旨在增加低收入、有学术天赋、有经济需求的学生在STEM领域获得学位的人数。它还旨在改善未来STEM工作者的教育，并为低收入学生提供有关学业成功、留校、转学、毕业和学术/职业道路的知识。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona or CPP). Cal Poly Pomona is one of the 23 campuses within the California State University (CSU) System and an HSI designated institution with 50% of the student body identifying as Hispanic, where 54% meet the category of underrepresented minorities (URM), 62% are first-generation college students, and 45% are Pell grant recipients. Over its 5-year duration, this project will fund scholarships to 45 unique undergraduate students who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) and to 75 unique undergraduate students who will participate in a pre-arranged summer internship. First-year students will receive up to four years of scholarship support and transfer students will receive up to two years of scholarships. The project aims to increase student persistence in the CEM discipline by increasing retention, student success, and graduation rates of the Hispanic and URM students. The project will implement evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities to support the students. The project will demonstrate the impact of additional financial assistance through a scholarship opportunity during academic semesters as a research assistant and will offer summer opportunities to work as an intern at a construction firm, which is intended to enhance the academic performance of low-income students with academic ability and talent. Because Cal Poly Pomona has a high population of URM and Hispanic students, this project has potential to broaden participation in the STEM fields and for faculty to learn how mentoring and individual development plans can be used to support retention and graduation of a student population. The overall goal of this project is to increase completion of STEM degrees, i.e., B.S. in Construction Engineering and Management, by low-income, high-achieving undergraduates with demonstrated financial need. There are three specific aims that guide the project. First is a focus on recruiting activities such as information sessions, guest lectures, or ambassador programs to broaden the number of CEM students. Second is to address the equity gap issue in the industry and provide financial resources. Third is to implement effective, evidence-based curricular and co-curricular activities that enhance student success, academic/career pathways, and graduation. Although the disparity in URM representation has shown some improvement over the years, it remains significantly and continuously low. This necessitates an evidence-based intervention effort to recruit and retain more URMs, working towards a significant increase in URM representation and a more qualified workforce ready to respond to the industry’s increasing demands. This project will investigate the challenges of the current CEM students at CPP (URM, female, first-generation, and low-income college students), and implement recruiting and retention activities to support graduates pursuing successful careers in the construction industry. The project will be assessed using both formative (process) and summative (outcome) evaluation. Results of this project will be made available at the California Engineering Liaison Council (CAELC) meetings and in conference presentations. This project is funded by NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of low-income, academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.