the engineering career awareness program (ecap): a recruitment to graduation program for...
TRANSCRIPT
The Engineering Career Awareness Program
(ECAP): A Recruitment to Graduation
Program for Underrepresented Students
in Engineering
Located in Northwest Arkansas, the University of Arkansas is the flagship university in the state
with 24,537 students and the highest possible classification by the Carnegie Foundation.
Northwest Arkansas was ranked the 19th Best
Place for Business and Careers by Forbes.
Six Fortune 500 companies are based in Arkansas.
Why ECAP?
Arkansas ranks 47th in the U.S. in per capita BS science and engineering degrees awarded in 2009…only 19% of Arkansans over the age of 25 hold a degree in any field.
In the fall of 2006, there were only 48 minority students in the Freshmen engineering class…capable
students were being overlooked by traditional recruitment and retention methods.
In the Arkansas Delta region alone, 99% of students receive free or reduced lunch. The public school
population in that region is 95% African American.
Program Cornerstones:Recruitment
Targeting underserved populations in Arkansas and surrounding states.Determining interest and academic aptitude of potential ECAP recruits through Engineering Adventure.Articulation agreements with feeder schools and community colleges
RetentionSummer bridge programRenewable scholarships to reach full cost of attendanceLiving-learning communityTutoring and peer mentoringRequired yearly internships, undergrad research, study abroad
ECAP’s Impact on UA Engineering
Comparing 2006 (pre-ECAP) vs. 2012242% increase in new Freshmen minority students173% increase the minority population of the undergraduate student body
Graduation Rates:Four year graduation rates: 27% ENGR vs. 48% ECAPSix year graduation rates: 34% ENGR vs. 71% ECAP
2012 ECAP Student Placement:27% of ECAP graduates will pursue graduate engineering degreesRemaining students secured positions in industry with an average starting salary of $62,000
Praise for ECAP“This program also has the potential to serve
as a national model for medium sized research institutions and minority serving institutions” –
National Science Foundation
Recognized by the National Academy of Engineering as an “example of best practices in engineering
education”.
Received 2012 Outstanding Pre-College/Community Organization Award by the National Association of Multicultural Engineering
Program Advocates.
Recognized with two Grand Gold Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
Sources of Funding for ECAP
Funding for 100 students comes from:College of EngineeringUniversity of ArkansasFoundation Support
NSF Grant
Individual GiftsAnnual ProgramsPlanned Giving
Corporate donors
Financial Data2010-2011
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Yearly Intake 25 25 25 25 25Total # students in program* 83 100 100 100 100Avg Yearly Scholarship per student**
$5,900 $6,195 $6,505 $6,830 $7,171
Cost of Summer Residency Program**
$34,000
$35,700
$37,485
$39,359
$41,327
Recruitment (Visits, Correspondence, Other)
$15,000
$15,750
$16,538
$17,364
$18,233
Total Program Cost$538,7
00 $670,9
50 $704,4
98 $739,7
22 $776,7
08
* Students who drop from program are replaced by transfer students**Assumes 5% increase per year in housing, tuition and recruitment expenses
• Corporations• Monthly Executive Dinner Series ($1,000 per event)• Freshman Summer Bridge Program ($30,000)
• Foundations• ECAP Scholarships (approximately $500,000 annually)
• Individual Donors• ECAP Program Endowment ($7,500,000)• Endowed ECAP Scholarships ($50,000+)
Sponsorship Targets:
External Funding for ECAP
ChallengesFunding, Funding, Funding
Maintaining institutional buy-in at University, College and Departmental levels
Administrative time demands
Identifying the right prospects and new funding sources
Avoiding over-saturation of various markets
Questions??