May 25, 2022

Whatcom Community College

Whatcom Community College (WCC) was awarded $686,975 from the National Science Foundation to improve the academic preparation of entering engineering students and ultimately increase the number and diversity of engineering graduates. The grant is titled “Preparing Early Engineers through Context, Connections and Community” and will be led by WCC engineering faculty Eric Davishahl as grant principal investigator and co-led by WCC faculty members including, Patrick Burnett (engineering), Mei Luu (mathematics), Anna Booker (history), Anna Wolff (English), along with senior personnel, Seth Greendale (mathematics) and Tran Phung (physics). It runs from May 15, 2022 through April 30, 2027. The project proposes to: (1) address disparities in community college students' academic, social, and emotional preparation for an engineering major using a holistic approach; (2) accelerate engagement of participating students within existing curriculum, community, and support systems; and (3) increase course success rates, improve program retention, and reduce equity gaps in engineering transfer preparation and associate degree completion. The project team will develop and pilot a two-quarter, integrated learning community with a place-based curriculum to welcome students into the engineering transfer pathway with a holistic model for academic preparation. This project will feature cross-disciplinary collaboration of faculty in engineering, math, physics, English, and history working together on design, implementation, and assessment.