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??