The SEEC project was driven by five distinct teams, each responsible for attaining specific objectives. An Executive Team comprised of members of each objective team met regularly to discuss progress and identify crosscutting opportunities.
Learning Village
Objective: Build a learning village that enhances student engagement and creates Iowa State connections for community college pre-engineering transfer students.
Sustainable Outcomes:
- Engineering Admissions Partnership Program (E-APP) supports prospective engineering transfer students.
- Transfer learning communities support engineering transfer students.
Curriculum
Objective: Enhance first- and second-year learning experiences, with an emphasis on student success and engagement and classroom climate.
Sustainable Outcomes:
- DMACC’s EGR 100 targets students with key learning experiences and professional development and its pre-engineering program allows engineering transfer students to complete the Basic Program courses prior to transfer.
- Innovative curriculum created for the E2020 Scholars Program is being integrated and disseminated.
Advising
Objective: Develop and enhance academic advising and mentoring programs for precollege, community college, and university students.
Sustainable Outcomes:
- Transfer students are entering engineering with a clear plan and connections that will assist them in making a smooth transition.
- Iowa State and CC advisors and faculty are engaged in activities aimed at dissemination of student success reports, best practices, curriculum, and new resources.
Networking
Objective: Establish a recruiting and outreach network across Iowa to tap into diverse communities of students, and to improve the awareness and understanding of engineering among those who influence student choice.
Sustainable Outcomes:
- NAE Changing the Conversation-based E:TEC resource kits are available through ISU Extension for formal and informal educators to create engineering career awareness.
- DMACC has compiled an NAE CTC-based Student Pre- Engineering Resource Kit that is available online to prospective students and others.
Evaluation*
Objective: Evaluate project effectiveness that will enhance project activities.
Sustainable Outcomes:
- Data sources and procedures for continuous tracking of retention and enrollment of College of Engineering students with a focus on DMACC transfers and new freshman have been established.
- Longitudinal qualitative and quantitative assessment and evaluation activities are in place.
* Led by Iowa State University Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE)