New CEAS-EOP Gateway Scholars Program Opens Pathways to Engineering for Students

For some incoming Stony Brook University students, the difference between being interested in engineering and having a pathway into an engineering major can come down to opportunity.

A new partnership between the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) and Stony Brook's Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is working to close that gap.

This summer, 42 incoming EOP students participated in the inaugural CEAS-EOP Gateway Scholars Program, an intensive four-week initiative designed to prepare students interested in engineering and applied sciences for the academic requirements of CEAS majors. By the end of the program, 26 students (62 percent of participants) had earned either direct admission to a CEAS major or placement into an Area of Interest (AOI) that provides a pathway toward admission.

In a typical year, fewer than five EOP students reach that point following the EOP Summer Academy.

"At EOP, we believe potential should never be limited by opportunity," said Pam Matzner, director of the EOP. "The CEAS-EOP Gateway Scholars Program exemplifies that belief by providing students with the preparation and support needed to thrive in some of Stony Brook University's most rigorous majors within the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences."

The program, supported through Stony Brook President Andrea Goldsmith's Fast Impact Fund, grew out of a challenge CEAS leaders had been considering for years: how to expand access to engineering while ensuring students are prepared to succeed once they get there.

"We always wanted to increase enrollment," said Wei Yin, associate dean for community engagement and outreach in CEAS and a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. "My role as associate dean has always been improving the inclusivity of the college and bringing more students to the college to give them more opportunities in engineering."

CEAS has rigorous entrance requirements, including high expectations for math and science preparation. Students from schools that offer fewer advanced math, physics or programming opportunities can arrive at Stony Brook interested in engineering but without the academic preparation needed for admission.

Yin believes that distinction is critical. "These students are not ready for engineering, not because they're not capable, but because they haven't had the opportunity," she said. "When you give a little boost, they immediately meet the benchmarks that we expect to see."

The FAST Fund provided an opportunity to try a different approach. Yin and Jennifer Dellaposta, assistant dean for undergraduate programs in CEAS, worked with Matzner and others to develop engineering-specific preparation within EOP's existing Summer Academy.

Incoming EOP students were surveyed about their academic interests and completed a math placement exam before the summer program began. CEAS and EOP then identified students interested in engineering and determined which academic experiences would best meet their needs.

Participants took intensive CEAS courses in math, physics or programming, along with academic success coursework focused on skills such as note-taking and strategies for succeeding in demanding STEM courses. The academic success course was taught by CEAS advisors Christen Cool and Erin Macfadden under the mentorship of CEAS Assistant Director Deb Klein. Students also attended networking lunches with CEAS leadership, faculty and staff.

The academic courses were designed to give students an early look at what they would encounter as CEAS freshmen. The math and physics courses used the same textbooks, syllabi and approaches as corresponding first-year engineering courses, covering the first third of the material during the four-week program.

"The goal is when students have already studied this in a very close range with the instructor, when they go into the classes in the first year as engineering students, they think, 'Oh, I already know this,'" Yin said. "That really helps with the confidence and with the way learning starts from day one."

At the conclusion of the summer, CEAS reviewed students' performance, including changes in math placement scores and results in their summer courses. Twenty-five students were offered AOI placement and one student earned direct admission to mechanical engineering.

AOI placement allows students to begin taking certain introductory courses in their intended majors while completing the remaining requirements for full admission, helping them stay on track academically.

"If students cannot be directly admitted into an engineering major, but can be directed into AOI, that's a step closer to the major," Yin said. "They will be supported by the department and the college, and will be able to take all the major courses in sequence."

The remaining 16 Gateway Scholars will begin the academic year without a declared CEAS major but with benchmarks they can work toward for possible admission following the spring semester.

Support will continue throughout the academic year. Gateway Scholars will receive course enrollment and degree-planning guidance, additional academic success workshops led by CSE Program Manager Sara Gergen and opportunities to participate in the CEAS Peer Mentoring Program, overseen by CEAS Student Engagement Manager Michael Glick, along with one-on-one meetings with the CEAS advising team. CEAS will also follow their academic progress to determine how well the summer experience translates to success in first-year courses.

Matzner believes that the results demonstrate what can happen when students are given an opportunity to prepare. "Thanks to the President's Fast Fund grant and our outstanding partnership with the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, students who may not have otherwise had a pathway into CEAS gained the knowledge, confidence and skills to succeed," she said. "This collaboration is a powerful example of how innovative partnerships can remove barriers, expand access and change the trajectory of students' lives."

CEAS leaders hope this summer was only the beginning. Yin said the college is seeking support to offer the Gateway Scholars Program again next year and ultimately make it sustainable over the long term.

"We're going to do everything in our power to make it happen again next year," she said. "If we could do 40 this year, 50 next year and then continue this trajectory, it really would help us achieve our goal of increasing underrepresented enrollment in engineering."

"We are very proud that our university is one of the best at improving the social mobility of our students," Yin said. "This initiative is an example of how Stony Brook can meaningfully support our community and help to improve social mobility."

- Beth Squire