|
Source:
John DeLeon, 785-826-2677, jd17@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Keener A. Tippin II, 785-532-6415,
media@k-state.edu
Thursday,
November 9, 2006
NATIONAL
SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT TO ENHANCE RECRUITMENT, ATTRACT STUDENTS
TO K-STATE AT SALINA'S ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY DEGREE PROGRAMS
SALINA
-- The few. The proud. The ELITE.
That's
the type of student Kansas State University at Salina will seek
to attract to its engineering technology programs with a new five-year,
$500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
K-State
at Salina's Enhancing Lives through Technology and Engineering scholarship
program was developed to increase of the number of traditionally
underrepresented but academically talented students in Kansas who
earn associate and bachelor's degrees. The grant also will be used
to provide a pathway for Project Lead The Way high school graduates
to complete an associate or bachelor's degree in engineering technology;
increase the number of community college transfers who earn bachelor's
degrees in engineering technology; provide leadership and cultural
experiences to Enhancing Lives through Technology and Engineering
scholars; and facilitate scholar exposure to potential careers through
industry internships.
Project
Lead the Way is a national program founded as a response to declining
enrollments in engineering and engineering technology programs.
It's mission is to create partnerships with public schools, institutions
of higher education and the private sector to prepare an increasing
and more diverse group of students to be successful in engineering
and engineering technology programs.
According
to John DeLeon, head of the department of engineering technology
at K-State at Salina, getting the grant as a mechanism for recruitment
was the result of strategic planning by engineering technology faculty
and staff.
The
grant will recruit, retain, mentor, graduate and ultimately place
in the work force a cluster of 15-25 scholars. DeLeon said the project
plan builds on institutionalized initiatives, services and programs,
and strategically weaves the newly conceived innovations afforded
through requested funding.
"The
federal government has recognized the need to increase enrollment
in the science, technology, engineering and math disciplines,"
DeLeon said. "They put out bulletins every quarter and one
of those bulletins for a scholarship in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics grant caught our eye.
"Even
though we have current scholarship opportunities available, no single
one is specifically directed for engineering technology students,"
he said. "This scholarship grant would signify an innovative
approach to attracting this variety of student populations."
According
to DeLeon, the proposed activities will advance discovery and understanding
while promoting teaching, training and learning; broaden participation
of underrepresented groups; enhance scientific and technological
understanding through broad dissemination; and will yield benefits
to society. DeLeon said these outcomes are expected because of a
mandated participation by the scholars in diversity functions and
at meetings of professional societies, as well as special advising
and mentoring the scholars will receive.
"Articulation
agreements outlined in the plan are unique additions to established
recruiting strategies," DeLeon said. "In addition, ELITE
scholars will have an opportunity to display and enhance their technical
skills through individualized internships. Furthermore, those efforts,
along with program results, will be disseminated at local, regional
and national education forums."
Students
selected for the scholarship must meet one or more of the required
criteria: low income; minority; rural residence; or first-generation
college student.
"The
monies will be set aside in an account that will be used by the
office of financial aid upon recommendation by the scholarship selection
committee," said Dixie Schierlman, associate dean and director
of college advancement at K-State at Salina. "The financial
aid office will work with that account to subsidize any tuition
associated with students who are recognized as ELITE Scholars."
Schierlman
said admissions representatives will be scouring the state in search
of potential scholars.
"Right
now, it will be the admission representatives' job to take out the
message on the scholarship criteria and make sure that students
and high school counselors are notified of what is available,"
Schierlman said. "We are looking to disseminate information
to high schools and community colleges, and possibly transfer students
from other universities who are interested in engineering technology."
Raju
Dandu, associate professor of engineering technology at K-State
at Salina and director of the program, said a review of the applicants
will start sometime in spring 2007, with the first scholarships
for the following fall.
"We
were very fortunate enough to have a good grant writing team,"
Dandu said. "It takes a lot of effort to work in unison and
we're very fortunate to afford the citizens of Kansas, specifically
students, the opportunity to enroll in a degree that is very much
in demand."
|
