Theme: Student Success and Belonging

To build a stronger sense of student community within the college and department, it is essential to create opportunities for students to connect beyond the classroom. These interactions foster a vital support system, enhance a sense of belonging, promote diverse perspectives, and encourage collaborative learning. Suggested events include faculty-student competitions, lunch & learns, community service projects, cultural exchange nights, outdoor adventures, and recognition ceremonies (i.e. sophomore to Junior year). These activities will help students bond, network, and engage with both faculty and peers, positively impacting their academic and personal development.

Having VCEA students visit their alma maters during breaks to share their WSU engineering experience could be an impactful way to recruit students to Voiland College. These visits could include speaking to students, meeting with guidance counselors, or leading hands-on activities that promote engineering. This initiative will be coordinated with the VCEA Director of Recruiting to ensure alignment with WSU guidelines and to evaluate its success. Involving student clubs and underrepresented students will help inspire a diverse range of high schoolers to pursue engineering education.

We aim to strengthen connections with community colleges (CC) by having faculty, staff, and students visit classrooms, attend fairs, and host events for CC advisors. Engaging with the Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) Pathway to STEM and the Washington Council for Engineering and Related Technical Education (WCRTE), provides opportunities to showcase VCEA and support transfer students. With rising CC enrollment, clear guidance on transfer credits and pathways will help students transition to WSU, with the new VCEA Transfer Coordinator playing a key role in recruitment.

Improving student retention students involves connecting them with existing university and VCEA support services. Creating a required one-credit course – Eng 107 –  where students can learn and develop best academic practices, as well as support services is an important step in improving retention. Students will also be encouraged to participate in student clubs, mentoring, and undergraduate research opportunities where they can build strong academic and social networks. Information on scholarships and fellowships will also be provided to inspire them to pursue graduate education, creating a clear path forward beyond their undergraduate degrees.

We aim to improve midterm grade availability for academic advisors by ensuring timely submission from faculty. Armed with this information, faculty and advisors can better support students with resources like the Early Academic Referral System (EARS) and the Student Care Network. Advisors will identify key courses where midterm grades are most impactful, and faculty will be encouraged to submit grades promptly, with significant assessments completed by midterm. Regular communication, training, and coordination with the registrar will help track submissions and follow up as needed, ensuring midterm grades are used effectively to support students and guide interventions.

Enhancing student retention and success involves integrating hands-on engineering and computer science applications into math courses. Re-establishing Engineering 107 as a course that applies math concepts from Pre-calculus and Calculus to real engineering problems could boost progression through first-year math. Additionally, partnering with the Math Department to create engineering-focused lab sections in Math 171 and 172 would better prepare students for gateway engineering courses while fostering peer connections.

Early intervention in key bottleneck courses like Chem 105, Math 171/172, and CE 211 could profoundly address retention issues. By providing early feedback on attendance and exam scores, professors and advisors together can intervene with struggling students before midterm grades. Advisors will also observe classes early in the semester to offer feedback on student engagement and help future students better prepare for these challenging courses.

We aim to improve the one-year retention rate of VCEA students through a two-step process. First, we will analyze historical retention data for first-year courses (ENGR 120, ChE 101, CPTS 121/111, and SDC 100/120) to identify differences in retention across programs. Next, we will assess current course structures and teaching methods to integrate best practices for engaging and retaining students, facilitated by a committee of first-year instructors who will meet each semester to discuss progress and challenges. This initiative will enhance the first-year experience and foster a stronger sense of belonging within VCEA.

Improving knowledge rates involves linking the VCEA Exit Survey with WSU’s Graduate Placement Survey. Currently, each department manages the exit survey differently, leading to misaligned data. By adopting the EECS model, which embeds the placement survey link in the exit survey, other departments will be encouraged to modify their surveys accordingly. This initiative will help establish connections between graduate placement, internships, and student success, ultimately increasing the number of undergraduates securing jobs after graduation. 

Showcasing the achievements of VCEA students and recent graduates in activities like clubs, internships, research, and post-graduation employment fosters a positive and supportive academic environment. Research shows that students who feel connected to their community are more likely to succeed and persist in their education. By highlighting student accomplishments across VCEA’s digital monitors, website, and social media platforms, a sense of belonging is cultivated, providing role models and encouraging personal and academic growth.

Integration of a Career Readiness Evaluation/Assessment System within our college’s framework would assess college students’ career readiness by providing 360-degree feedback following experiential learning opportunities such as internships, co-ops, club engagement, service learning, study abroad, capstone course engagement, etc. The selected program will align with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Career Readiness Competencies, ensuring comprehensive evaluation.

Many students struggle with the foundational courses that are key to their success in engineering. In fact, in certain courses, more than one out of five Voiland College students receive a grade of C- or lower, which can impact their academic progression. 

“The Fox Hole” will provide dedicated out-of-class support for all students through problem-solving sessions in a group environment, focusing on challenging subjects like CE 211 – Statics.

Operating three hours a day, three days a week, these voluntary sessions ensure that students who seek support have the extra help they need to excel academically, while developing team-building skills, and paving a way for a brighter future.

Academic advisors are a critical resource for students as they navigate complex university processes and policies. Advisors often form a trusted bond with students, and they are the first contact students have when they are struggling. Forming these bonds takes time, and high advising caseloads makes it difficult for advisors to take the necessary time with each student. Reducing advising loads will allow additional opportunities for advisors to grow, adapt, innovate, and experiment with new ideas and strategies focused on retention, persistence and student engagement. It may also help with retention of academic advisors.

Students entering the Voiland College will be given a tool bag that they will use throughout the remainder of their time at WSU. In their first semester, students will learn to program a numerically controlled embroidery machine to personalize their tool bags, earning tools to fill their tool bag throughout the remainder of the semester. This hands-on experience boosts confidence while fostering identity and a sense of Cougar Pride.