GCSP research stipend | Fall 2018

Service Learning and Retention in Undergraduate Engineering

Service learning courses such as the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) program have been shown to improve engagement. The objective of this research is to determine the impact of service learning classes on student persistence in engineering majors. Student intentions to remain in engineering and enrollment data from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering were collected and analyzed to determine the effect of EPICS on retention in engineering, particularly for women and minority students. By understanding the potential enhanced impacts of service learning, recommendations can be made to improve engineering courses for a diverse student population.