Support Model for Transfer Students Utilizing the STEM Scholarship Program

Abstract

This paper describes how the College of Engineering at Boise State University utilized a National Science Foundation S-STEM award from 2011 to 2016 to support transfer students in their path toward graduation. The need for this support was a result of both Boise State University College of Engineering's transition from a 2-year pre-engineering program to the establishment of Bachelors of Science in Engineering Degree programs in 1997 as well as the establishment of the College of Western Idaho as a regional community college in 2007. Both of these factors led to an increase in the numbers of incoming engineering students transferring from other institutions of higher education to complete their degree. These students were generally ineligible for most Boise State University scholarship programs which are mainly aimed toward students entering college directly from high school.In this paper we describe how our program connected transfer students with university staff, faculty and resources. To date, this program has a 100% retention rate, with the exception of one student on an official leave of absence, and a projected 100% graduation rate with 91% of the students already graduated. In addition, approximately 22% of scholarship graduates are pursuing graduate degrees.

Impact of Awarding Scholarships to Current Students

“…While the scholarship was awarded to current students doing well, the high completion rate with all students graduate or still enrolled in the program of our scholars is still notable. Our results were in line with the literature's findings for transfer student scholarships [14,15,16]. Our study combined with the literature indicate that scholarships can be awarded to students who will graduate if the decision maker has access to information about lower division course performance.…”

“…The retention rates for incoming freshman scholarship-based programs with activities for scholars range from Wesley was 55% [10]; a Louisiana State University study focused on mentoring achieved about 70% graduation rate [10]; 62-72% retention rate at Bowling Green [12]; and 45% graduation rate at Alabama [13]. At Boise State University, Olson and others report a near 100% retention rate for transfer students in a similar STEM scholarship program to SCOPE [14]. Another study at Arizona State University (ASU) that provide scholarships and support to transfer students achieved a 92% graduation rate [15].…”

Systematic literature review of persistence of engineering transfer students

“…A supportive environment for engineering transfer students promotes and attracts increased involvement in campus activities as well as students' social integration with faculty and peers. As part of a supportive campus environment, having peer and faculty mentoring programs specifically designed for engineering transfer students was shown to increase engineering transfer student persistence (Jackson, Starobin, & Laanan, 2013; Jefferson, Steadman, & Dougherty, 2013; Olson, Moll, Bullock, Jain, & Callahan, 2016; Sheinberg, 2015).…”

Student Preferences in Mentoring Practices and Program Features in an S-STEM Scholarship/Mentoring Program

“…The National Science Foundation (NSF) has recognized the value of As an example of the success of such programs, Wilson, et al [11] have reported results of the NSF/CSEMS and S-STEM programs and the specific model for Louisiana State University (LSU), where they achieved a "nearly 90 percent" graduation rate in STEM degrees for their participants. Other CSEMS laudable results were reported by Sorkin, et al [12], for the Community College of Baltimore, Maryland; and by Olson, et al [13] for Boise State University, Boise, Idaho; respectively.…”