Board 30: Sustainable Bridges from Campus to Campus: Outcomes for Two Cohorts of Jump Start Second-year Bridge Participants (#1525367)

Purpose and Goals: The purpose of the Sustainable Bridges from Campus to Campus study (NSF IUSE #1525367) is to increase the retention of racially underrepresented students (i.e., African American, Native American, and Hispanic students) in undergraduate Engineering majors. We strive to address the urgent need to expand and diversify the pool of undergraduates who earn a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) degree. To achieve this goal, the Sustainable Bridges project consists of a comprehensive series of interventions at three points in students’ career at the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)—entering first-year students (Engineering Ahead), rising second-year students (Jump Start), and a transition program for rising juniors changing from a Penn State regional campus to the Penn State University Park flagship campus. As of this writing, we are beginning Year 4 of the 5-year project. Previous papers described outcomes for the Engineering Ahead first-year bridge program. This paper is an interim report that describes outcomes for two cohorts of students who participated in the Jump Start second-year summer bridge intervention. Method: The Jump Start summer bridge is a 4-week residential program on the Penn State University Park (flagship) campus for rising second-year Engineering students throughout the Penn State system to prepare them for Calculus II, Differential Equations, Physics I or Physics II. Cohort building is also a significant focus. Enrollment priority is given to racially underrepresented students, those who participated in the Engineering Ahead first-year bridge program, and those from a Penn State regional campus. To assess the effectiveness of Jump Start for the first two cohorts (N = 93), we will compare participants to a sample of students who did not participate in Jump Start who were matched on sex, race/ethnicity, major, campus assignment, and SAT Math scores, for a total sample of 186 students. We compare the two groups on fall-semester math and physics course grades, fall semester grade point average, and enrollment status. We also examine the entrance-to-major status for Cohort 1 for retention in Engineering, retention in STEM, and retention at Penn State. Results and Conclusions: The preliminary results are promising for the rising second-year bridge program, particularly for Cohort 1. Compared to a matched comparison sample, Cohort 1 Jump Start students had higher grades in their math courses and were more likely to earn a grade of C or higher in the fall semester of their sophomore year following the summer bridge program. Cohort 1 Jump Start students were followed into the fall of their junior year. They were significantly more likely than the comparison students to be retained at Penn State. In 2019, we will continue to follow Cohorts 1 and 2 and enroll Cohort 3. Sustainable bridges from campus to campus: Outcomes for two cohorts of Jump Start second-year bridge participants (#1525367) The purpose of this interim progress report is to document the performance of the Jump Start students in Cohort 1 (2017) and Cohort 2 (2018) and a matched comparison sample of similar students who did not participate in Jump Start. (Jump Start is part of the broader Sustainable Bridges project, which also includes a bridge program for entering first-year Engineering students and a transition program for juniors.) The Jump Start summer bridge program prepares rising sophomores in Engineering for the second year of core courses required for successful completion of the Engineering pre-major. To enter the Engineering major, students must receive a C or better in core courses and achieve certain GPAs to allow entrance into enrollmentcontrolled majors. The intention is that this academic support and cohort building will increase the retention of second-year Engineering students, particularly those at Penn State regional campuses who expect to transfer to the Penn State University Park (flagship) campus (2+2 students). Jump Start participants spend the month of May at the Penn State University Park campus before the sophomore year at their regional campus. Many undergraduate students enter the second year with an academic performance that reflects the “sophomore slump.” Strong performance in Calculus, Physics and Differential Equations is necessary for a successful second-year Engineering student. If a student struggled through Calculus I with a C, those academic struggles might carry over to Calculus II or Calculus III. The challenges for Penn State students who participate in the “2+2” model (attend the first two years at a regional campus and the second two years at another Penn State location to finish their degree) are similar to some of the challenges of community college students. Since their creation, regional and community colleges have played a significant role in providing access to higher education for many Americans (Cohen & Brawer, 2003). Community colleges have disproportionately been the primary access point to higher education for underrepresented groups, such as multicultural, female, first-generation, nontraditional, and low-income students. Factors contributing to the selection of community colleges as the access point to higher education include affordability and less competitive admissions requirements (Bailey & Morest, 2006). Extensive research sheds light on low graduation rates of transfer students (Graham & Hughes, 1994). Nationally, 80% of first-year college students at community colleges express an initial desire to transfer to a four-year institution. Out of this initial group, only 40% achieve their desired goal of even being eligible to transfer. Of the transfer-eligible students, only 10% eventually transfer to a four-year institution (Berger & Malaney, 2003). Finally, community college transfer students have a lower likelihood of graduation than students who start at fouryear institutions (National Center for Education Statistics, 2008). Tinto performed a number of studies from 1975 through 2008 on the effectiveness of the learning communities when applied to a wide range of students including those who were new to the college environment (Tinto, 1975; Tinto, 2007; Tinto & Love, 1995). The learning community principle is based on the idea that students and faculty sharing multiple classes and experiences will assist each other in building positive academic strategies and social relationships. Tinto applied the learning community philosophy to targeted student populations that were underprepared and from low-income backgrounds, and found to be equally effective. In addition, precollege academic preparation also increased the persistence of students (Engstrom & Tinto, 2008; Tinto, 2007). The learning community principle is a core feature of bridge programs to ease some of the adjustment problems into college. The Jump Start bridge program starts in May (“MayMester”), a week after the completion of the first year. MayMester is an academic window at Penn State that allows students to take short courses in the month of May, right after the spring semester ends. The goal is to give rising sophomore Engineering students the opportunity to carefully think through math and physics concepts, repair mistakes, and get better at problem-solving skills. Completion of the bridge in May allows Jump Start participants to do paid work, internships, or summer school starting in June. Additional objectives are for regional campus Engineering pre-major students to become familiar with the University Park campus and to build friendships with peers and connections with staff. The goals are that the Jump Start bridge experience will increase retention in Engineering and ease the adjustment of campus transition in the fall semester of the junior year. To enroll in Jump Start, students must have completed Calculus 1 by the end of the first year. Students participating in Jump Start are in one of two tracks: Track 1 is for students who have completed Calculus 1 and wish to complete an introductory review of Calculus 2 and Physics 1. Track 2 is for students who have completed Calculus 2 and Physics 1 in the first year and wish to review Differential Equations and Physics 2. All students participate in professional development activities and team projects. There is no cost to the students to participate. Their room and board in a University residential hall is covered. To offset the loss in summer income that some participants will experience, participants received a $250 stipend.