Lessons learned in a successful underrepresented minority retention program

In the fall of 2003, a National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) Academic Scholarship Program was begun with 21 underrepresented students in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering at Arizona State University. The students were supported by a scholarship for the academic year and attended a two credit hour Academic Success Workshop in the fall and met for one hour every other week in the spring semester. Due to scheduling problems, the students met in two groups during the spring. The Academic Success Workshop has been described in a previous paper. The primary goals of the NACME Program are to give assistance and support to retain the students in good stead. The program purposes are to help with the adjustment to being a university freshman and a minority student, to ensure that students know where to turn for assistance when needed, to assist in forming a student support network, to help the students work in a team, to sharpen presentation skills, and to make the program experience enjoyable. This paper will include a discussion of the spring semester program, an overall evaluation of the first year of the program, and the retention problems encountered with the first group of students. In addition, we will discuss the diversity issues overcome with the selection of the second NACME class for fall 2004, as well as the lessons learned in year one and the student feedback through ongoing evaluation that caused changes in the second year of the program.