The Women in Applied Science and Engineering Summer Bridge Program: easing the transition for first-time female engineering students

Abstract

The Women in Applied Science and Engineering (WISE) Summer Bridge Program is designed to prepare incoming female students for the transition from high school to the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) at Arizona State University (ASU). This program offers academic reviews in courses such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Computer-programming tutorials are also offered in Excel and HTML to better prepare students for their freshman introductory engineering course. Participants acclimate to the campus by receiving general information concerning the university, financial aid, and departmental advising. Students attending the program become familiar with the campus, have a head start on their freshman engineering classes, and have a chance to meet other female students.An overview of the WISE Summer Bridge Program will be presented as well as retention data for 1998 and 1999 program participants. I n addition, the paper will discuss the need for and impact of bridge programs specifically geared toward female students. Further, the paper will investigate other lzye circumstances, such as level of involvement in student activities, living situation, and employment that impact retention of these students.Finally, future projections of implementation and direction of student retention programs will be explored.

Building Better Bridges into STEM: A Synthesis of 25 Years of Literature on STEM Summer Bridge Programs

“…Three of these programs measured retention at every year after students participated in the program until they graduated ( Chevalier et al ., 2001 ; Boykin et al , 2010 ; Gleason et al , 2010 ; Tomasko et al , 2013 , 2016 ), and one program measured retention percentages of different cohorts of students at a single time point ( Maton et al ., 2000 ). Nine programs measured retention 1 year after the bridge program ( Reyes et al ., 1998 , 1999 ; Wheatland, 2000 ; Fletcher et al ., 2001a , b ; Citty and Lindner, 2012 ; Raines, 2012 ; Windsor et al , 2015 ; Kopec and Blair, 2014 ; Harkins, 2016 ; Pritchard et al , 2016 ), one program measured retention each semester after the bridge program through students’ fourth semester in college ( Wischusen and Wischusen, 2007 ; Wischusen et al , 2011 ), and one program measured retention after the first year, the third semester, the fifth semester, and the seventh semester ( Gilmer, 2007 ).…”

A Model of Co-Curricular Support for Undergraduate Engineering Students

“…Given the relatively short history of ESSCs, it is not surprising that there are gaps in our knowledge about these support systems as a whole. For example, although many of the experiences linked to a student's decision to leave engineering can be mitigated by appropriately directed student interventions (e.g., Allen, 1999;Amenkhienan & Kogan, 2004;Fletcher, Newell, Anderson-Rowland, & Newton, 2001a;Fletcher, Newell, Newton, & Anderson-Rowland, 2001b;Single, Muller, Cunningham, Single, & Carlsen, 2005;Vesilind, 2001), a shortcoming in our current understanding of these efforts is that co-curricular support is practice oriented: much of the existing research about ESSCs and interventions focuses on recruitment and retention numbers or measures such as student satisfaction (Brainard & Carlin, 1998;Hermond, 1995;Lam, Doverspike, & Mawasha, 1999;Ohland & Zhang, 2002;Van Aken et al, 1999). While these measures are important, little of this research explains how the co-curricular support provided by ESSCs is intended to work or the ways student-support practitioners aim to improve the student experience.…”

Biology Intensive Orientation for Students (BIOS): A Biology “Boot Camp”

“…Participation in a firstyear seminar has been shown to have a statistically significant positive impact on student success (House and Kuchynka, 1997;Minchella et al, 2002). Longer-term bridge and orientation programs are common and effective in specific fields or for targeted groups, such as all engineering majors (Soulsby, 1999), minority engineering (Reyes et al, 1998), women in engineering (Fletcher et al, 2001a), and first-generation college attendees (Pascarella et al, 2004).…”

“…Women in Applied Science and Engineering (WISE) at Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) sponsors a Summer Bridge Program for incoming female engineering majors (Fletcher et al, 2001a). This program is also held the week before the freshman fall semester, and it offers reviews in science courses as well as computer sessions and student services.…”