Retention Of Stem Students With The Emc^2 Scholars' Program At Rit

This paper details our highly successful scholarship and academic support program to retain and graduate students in four academic departments: Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science (EMC). The EMC Scholars’ program is supported by a 4-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s CSEMS (Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics Scholarships) program and matching funds from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). The project, to expire in August 2006, was recently granted a oneyear no-cost extension. The paper describes the processes for selection of scholars and renewal of scholarship, and includes data on department distribution, student demographics and retention. It describes programmatic elements that worked or did not work in retaining students in CSEMS degree programs. The program’s retention rates exceed RIT’s averages – at each year level and within each of the four academic programs. The program has been successful in developing a partnership among the four academic departments, and has strengthened the coordination mechanisms with the supporting units. Successful EMC elements are being deployed elsewhere at RIT to retain female and minority students.