CIRC/METS: a scholarship program to assist engineering transfer students to graduate and attain a graduate degree

The CIRC/METS project - collaborative interdisciplinary research community/maricopa engineering transition scholars is an academic scholarship program funded by the National Science Foundation to retain students in engineering degree programs and to create interest in pursuing an advanced degree in engineering. This pilot program targets women and underrepresented students who transferred from community colleges to four-year engineering degree programs to address their unique needs as transfer students. Many engineering schools have developed retention programs to assist entering engineering freshmen adjust to college life. However, little attention has been given to the community college transfer student entering a four-year engineering school. The goal of CIRC/METS is to provide students encouragement and support to complete an undergraduate degree in engineering with the goal that the students aspire to attain an advanced degree in engineering. The paper reports on the recruiting process for the program and on the CIRC/METS workshops (five per semester). The workshops concentrated on connecting students with ASU faculty to get research experience and on strategies for how to best present themselves when applying to graduate programs. The paper also reports on student feedback and what we have learned about strategies to motivate CIRC/METS students to pursue an advanced degree in engineering.