Building a summer bridge program to increase retention and academic success for first-year engineering students

Abstract

This paper reports on a grant-funded summer bridge program developed for first-year engineering students who were not academically prepared to start Calculus 1 in the fall of their freshman year. The primary objective of the program was to increase retention and success of first-year engineering students by 1) allowing students to enter their freshman year on-track academically and gain exposure to college-level coursework, 2) providing the information and support necessary to ensure a smooth transition into college, 3) enhancing student interest in and commitment to the engineering field, and 4) helping students build community on campus. The summer bridge program was first offered during the summer of 2014, and had 11 participants. Students took two college-level courses, including Pre-Calculus II, participated in co-curricular workshops, and lived in campus residence halls. Three types of assessment were administered during the program; one survey at the outset of the program to assess student expectations and academic backgrounds, a second survey at the conclusion of the program to gather quantitative data on student satisfaction, and a focus group on the final day of the program to gather qualitative information on student satisfaction. Data from the three assessments indicated that students felt that their expectations had been largely met, and that after completing the program they had improved in their math and writing skills, learned about the field of engineering, and had been successfully oriented to college. Although it is too early to determine the long-term academic trajectory of the 11 participants, based on assessment data already collected, it appears as though the summer program was successful in many of its stated goals.