A program at the Cockrell School of Engineering has been recognized by ExxonMobil and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) for its efforts to increase the school’s diversity and to retain underrepresented minority students in four-year engineering degree programs.
The Equal Opportunity in Engineering (EOE) Program was selected for the inaugural ExxonMobil–NSBE Engineering Impact Award, a competitive $10,000 grant that will be awarded annually to one program nationwide.
“The goal of this award is to find a successful program that’s easy to replicate at any university,” said Franklin Moore, director of programs for NSBE. “From the African American perspective, we only have a 30 percent retention rate nationally [for students finishing four-year engineering degrees] and that’s horrible. Programs like EOE at The University of Texas at Austin are so important because they help us keep our underrepresented engineering students in engineering, and the ones who like it will succeed.”
More than 17 programs were considered for the award, Moore said. To be selected, programs had to demonstrate they had a sustainable retention program for underrepresented minorities as well as proven results, Moore said.
Thanks to EOE outreach, recruitment, and retention initiatives, namely the program’s five First-year Interest Groups (FIGs), The University of Texas at Austin ranks fourth in the nation in producing undergraduate engineering degrees for minority groups.
"We are proud of this ranking and continuously seek opportunities to improve it,” said Cockrell School of Engineering Dean Gregory L. Fenves. “EOE initiatives have substantially increased the diversity of our student population since the program was started 41 years ago. Today, it's still working to ensure that every student – regardless of their race, gender or background – has an equal opportunity at success at the Cockrell School.”
EOE FIGs are offered throughout the fall and spring semester and generally consists of 20-25 students each, all of whom are enveloped in a web of community support that includes mentoring, tutoring, and networking with engineering peers, upper division students, faculty and professional engineers.
Since fall 2003, when EOE implemented its current outreach and retention plan, 75 percent of underrepresented students who enrolled in EOE FIGs have either graduated or are still enrolled in the Cockrell School. The average one-year retention rate for students in EOE FIGs is 92 percent, with two-year retention rates being 78 percent.
“We’re focused on the needs of our underrepresented students and we’re committed to working hard to address those needs with focused, comprehensive efforts that show results,” said EOE Director Andrea Ogilvie. “EOE FIGs serve as the foundation for building an academic community where students encourage each other to achieve excellence on the path to graduation. Through weekly FIG seminars in the fall and spring, student participants and EOE staff develop a network of friendships and relationships that last well after graduation. We call it our academic family.”
For Teniola Sulaiman, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student and NASA Johnson Space Center co-op, his FIG peers have pushed him to do well academically and to pursue leadership roles, which included being an EOE FIG mentor for two years and, currently, a Student Engineering Council representative and Chapter Development Chair for NSBE.
“It can be intimidating to be the only minority student in a classroom,” Sulaiman said. “EOE, and programs like it, are imperative because it’s important to have people who can identify with you, or who look like you and speak your language.”
EOE was established by the Cockrell School in 1970 to promote the recruitment and academic development of African American, Hispanic and Native American students interested in engineering education. The program has since expanded its mission to support students historically underrepresented in engineering as well as students who have backgrounds or experiences that will contribute to the overall diversity of the Cockrell School of Engineering. The EOE Program guides pre-college and college students on their academic journey and promotes excellence in the areas of academics, leadership, professionalism and community support.
The program is supported by the Cockrell School, corporate partners and grants from the federal and state governments.
“Access to tutoring, undergraduate research opportunities, mentors, and professional development workshops can tremendously impact student success in engineering,” Ogilvie said. "When a student has the passion to pursue an engineering degree and is willing to dedicate time and energy to studying, we are committed to providing academic resources and opportunities to help them achieve their ultimate goal.”
NSBE will present a ceremonial check to EOE representatives during the 37th NSBE Annual Convention Opening Session in St. Louis, Missouri on March 23.
In addition, a ceremony and reception will be held at Carnegie Institute of Science in Washington, D.C. on April 13.
To learn more about the EOE or to support its mission, visit the EOE website.
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), with more than 35,700 members, is one of the largest student-governed organizations in the country. Founded in 1975, NSBE now includes more than 394 College, Pre-College, and Technical Professional/Alumni chapters in the United States and abroad. NSBE’s mission is "to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community."
