Improving the Participation and Retention of Minority Students in Science and Engineering Through Summer Enrichment Programs

Although many California Community College students enter college with high levels of interest in science and engineering, their levels of preparation for college-level work, especially in math and engineering, are so low that the majority of them drop out or change majors even before taking transfer-level courses. In 2008, Canada College, a Hispanic-Serving community college in Redwood City, CA, was awarded a Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) grant by the US Department of Education to develop and implement a project that aims to maximize the likelihood of success among underrepresented and educationally disadvantaged students interested in pursuing careers in STEM fields. The project, entitled Student On-ramp Leading to Engineering and Sciences (SOLES), incorporates strategies that address challenges and barriers to recruitment, retention and success of minority students. Among the strategies developed for this project are two summer programs that were implemented for the first time in summer 2009. The Summer Math Jam is a two-week intensive mathematics program designed to improve student preparation for college-level math courses. The Summer Engineering Institute is a two-week residential summer camp that offers participating students the opportunity to gain insight into the engineering academic program through a combination of lectures, handson laboratory activities, workshops and projects with engineering professionals. Preliminary results indicate success of both programs. Math Jam participants show improvement in the Math Placement test. Almost all participants scored higher in the placement test compared to their preprogram scores. For sixty four percent of them, the improvement in their scores was high enough to place them to at least the next higher math class. Engineering Institute participants showed improved understanding of the engineering profession and the engineering educational system. Participants from both programs also expressed positive overall attitude and opinions of the program objectives, content, activities and implementation.