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Dame; her industry experience includes shipyard project management and consulting for Off-High Vehicles projects for GE Transportation. AbstractThe Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) program is a National Science Foundation sponsored scholarship granting program at Gannon University. Through the first seven years of scholarship granting (2009 -2015), SEECS helped 77 students pursue the goal of graduation from college with a STEM degree, specifically a degree in an engineering or computer science related field. This paper analyzes data from current and previous SEECS students confirming previously-published data pointing to "roadblock" courses which most often lead to GPA trouble (i.e. cumulative GPA less than 3.0), and investigates techniques which are or have been implemented to improve student academic success. Strong correlations have been noted between specific letter grade thresholds in identified courses and eventual separation from the SEECS program for low GPA. Intervention strategies for students who have stumbled in one or more roadblock courses, as well as generally-implemented practices conducted by the university and the SEECS program, are discussed. Consideration is given to intervention techniques presented in previously-published literature, with respect to feasibility for inclusion in an honors-type engineering program such as SEECS.A commonly-held perspective within the United States urges for an increased pool of qualified workers in the STEM fields. Aligned to the perception is the conviction that the number of STEM-major students in universities is far short of the projected demand for STEM workers. In response to this problem, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has created the program "Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM)" seeking to increase the number of domestic students in STEM fields by providing financial support to promising students who have limited financial means. The SEECS program, detailed in the next section, is one program sponsored by the NSF through the S-STEM grant program. S-STEM addresses one side of the problem: The number of STEM students is increased by providing lower-income students with the financial wherewithal to enter into STEM studies. The funding does not directly address another key problem of graduating STEM majors: attrition of matriculated students.Causes of attrition among STEM students have been the subject of numerous studies [1,2]. An excellent survey of those studies and their conclusions has been provided by Geisinger and Raman [1]. The paper reviewed 50 studies addressing reasons for student attrition, supplemented by 25 additional studies of methods attempted to improve retention. The major causes of attrition are reported to be (1) an unwelcoming academic climate, (2) conceptual difficulty with core courses, (3) lack of self-efficacy or self-confidence, (4) inadequate high school preparation, (5) insufficient interest or commitment to engineering or a change in career

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The Scholars of Excellence in Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) program initiated its first cohort of 20 students in fall 2009. Funded through an NSF S-STEM grant, the interdisciplinary, multi-year, mixed academic-level offering awards scholarships to students based on academic merit and financial need. SEECS is an opportunity for students in certain STEM majors at Gannon University, Erie, PA, in the School of Engineering and Computer Science. The goals of the scholarship program are (1) to increase the number of academically talented, but financially disadvantaged students in the stated majors, (2) to assist students to be successful in their undergraduate education, and (3) to foster professional development for careers or graduate education. These goals are realized through the students shared interactions within the SEECS seminar. Students awarded SEECS scholarships are required to attend a seminar where specific development and learning outcomes are realized in a team-based, project-based approach. The challenging and engaging aspect of the SEECS program is a zero-credit seminar. The SEECS seminar encompasses three components: engineering design, professional development, and personal development. Through workshops, university support services, lectures, and invited speakers, the facets of professional and personal development are addressed. Each academic level, that is seniors, juniors, sophomores and freshmen, has different professional and personal development objectives realized each semester. While the two development facets follow more typical seminar activities, the engineering design component is the pivotal experience connecting and building not only engineering competency but also personal confidence. The design projects benefit regional service organizations. The design activities pair the freshmen cohort with the seniors; the sophomores with the juniors. Through these pairings, seniors mentor the inexperienced freshmen through thought processes and analysis questions accompanying initial understanding. The sophomore-and-junior pairings gain a similar benefit during the design and deployment phase. Juniors with more professional maturity provide insights to the design and deployment phases for the sophomores. Hence, "becoming engineers" for the scholars is a shared, fun experience as they immerse themselves in the task of realizing a contribution to the community. The development and current success of the SEECS program partially arises from the participation provided by and the willingness of established university services and administrative units to support the program's needs. Further, the correspondence of the SEECS program goals aligns with the university's mission. Hence, the SEECS program embodies the university-wide commitment to establishing a worthwhile program for the scholars.

Karinna Vernaza joined Gannon University in 2003, and she is currently an Associate Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department. She earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. Her B.S. is in Marine Systems Engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Her primary teaching responsibilities are in the solid mechanics and materials areas. She was awarded the 2012 ASEE NCS Outstanding Teacher Award. Vernaza consults for GE Transportation and does research in the area of alternative fuels (biodiesel), engineering education (active learning techniques), and high-strain deformation of materials. She is currently a Co-PI in an NSF S-STEM and ADVANCE-PAID grants. She is actively involved in outreach activities that introduce middle school students to engineering.