The Engineering Career Awareness Program (ECAP): A Recruitment to Graduation Program for Underrepresented Students in Engineering

Located in Northwest Arkansas, the University of Arkansas is the flagship university in the state with 24,537 students and the highest possible classification by the Carnegie Foundation. Northwest Arkansas was ranked the 19 th Best Place for Business and Careers by Forbes. Six Fortune 500 companies are based in Arkansas.

Why ECAP? Arkansas ranks 47 th in the U.S. in per capita BS science and engineering degrees awarded in 2009…only 19% of Arkansans over the age of 25 hold a degree in any field. In the fall of 2006, there were only 48 minority students in the Freshmen engineering class…capable students were being overlooked by traditional recruitment and retention methods. In the Arkansas Delta region alone, 99% of students receive free or reduced lunch. The public school population in that region is 95% African American.

Program Cornerstones: Recruitment Targeting underserved populations in Arkansas and surrounding states. Determining interest and academic aptitude of potential ECAP recruits through Engineering Adventure. Articulation agreements with feeder schools and community colleges Retention Summer bridge program Renewable scholarships to reach full cost of attendance Living-learning community Tutoring and peer mentoring Required yearly internships, undergrad research, study abroad

ECAP’s Impact on UA Engineering Comparing 2006 (pre-ECAP) vs % increase in new Freshmen minority students 173% increase the minority population of the undergraduate student body Graduation Rates: Four year graduation rates: 27% ENGR vs. 48% ECAP Six year graduation rates: 34% ENGR vs. 71% ECAP 2012 ECAP Student Placement: 27% of ECAP graduates will pursue graduate engineering degrees Remaining students secured positions in industry with an average starting salary of $62,000

Praise for ECAP “ This program also has the potential to serve as a national model for medium sized research institutions and minority serving institutions ” – National Science Foundation Recognized by the National Academy of Engineering as an “ example of best practices in engineering education ”. Received 2012 Outstanding Pre-College/Community Organization Award by the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates. Recognized with two Grand Gold Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Sources of Funding for ECAP Funding for 100 students comes from: College of Engineering University of Arkansas Foundation Support NSF Grant Individual Gifts Annual Programs Planned Giving Corporate donors

Financial Data Yearly Intake25 Total # students in program*83100 Avg Yearly Scholarship per student**$5,900$6,195$6,505$6,830$7,171 Cost of Summer Residency Program**$34,000$35,700$37,485$39,359$41,327 Recruitment (Visits, Correspondence, Other) $15,000$15,750$16,538$17,364$18,233 Total Program Cost$538,700$670,950$704,498$739,722$776,708 * Students who drop from program are replaced by transfer students **Assumes 5% increase per year in housing, tuition and recruitment expenses

Corporations Monthly Executive Dinner Series ($1,000 per event) Freshman Summer Bridge Program ($30,000) Foundations ECAP Scholarships (approximately $500,000 annually) Individual Donors ECAP Program Endowment ($7,500,000) Endowed ECAP Scholarships ($50,000+) Sponsorship Targets:

External Funding for ECAP

Challenges Funding, Funding, Funding Maintaining institutional buy-in at University, College and Departmental levels Administrative time demands Identifying the right prospects and new funding sources Avoiding over-saturation of various markets

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