A Ten Year Perspective On Changes In Engineering Education

The Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) was implemented with the goal of increasing the number of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Funded by the National Science Foundation, this 11-year program challenged UTEP to improve the first-year experience of its entering freshmen, to develop good study habits, to enhance instruction across the STEM curricula, and to promote career options and encourage graduate school. The MIE program’s success is based on changing the University culture by promoting early contact with faculty, active learning to engage students, a “home” to study and interact with peers, and exposure to research at the undergraduate level. These MIE activities are key in achieving the University’s mission of providing a diverse, commuter-student population in a geographically isolated binational location with the two ideals of excellence and access. Results from these activities show an increased number of undergraduate Engineering degrees awarded from 153 in 1997-1998 to 254 in 2004-2005. The number of underrepresented minorities receiving these degrees has increased from 99 in 1997-1998 to 162 in 2004-2005. Additionally, the number of graduate degrees awarded in Engineering has nearly doubled annual production from 65 to 129.