The Engineering Residential College comprises the foundation of our new living-learning community for engineering students. Beginning fall 2007, the Residential College will consist of Pierce, Bailey, and Abbott residence halls in Thompson Point; they will be designated engineering-only buildings where students have easy access to student support services and can become part of a supportive peer network. Students should sign up early to reserve rooms in these halls!
The concept of a Residential College originated with the implementation of engineering-only floors in various residence halls over the last decade. On average, students who lived on these floors outperformed those who lived elsewhere on campus; their GPAs averaged 2.9, roughly 0.5 greater than other engineering students. The new Engineering Residential College has space allocated to teach courses with engineering-designated sections (i.e., Speech Communications, English, and Engineering Learning Skills), and tutoringis provided by the College in a central location. Most importantly, peer mentors reside in the halls alongside students. These mentors are trained in problem intervention, conflict resolution, cultural sensitivity, and other related skills. They accompany mentees to one class per week (e.g., Introduction to Engineering or a mathematics course), lead them in study group twice per week, and, throughout the year, accompany them to one of each sporting event on campus. A list of peer mentors will be provided at this site in the coming weeks, so check back soon!
Peer mentors are directly supervised by the Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and by faculty mentors. Faculty mentors, in particular, meet regularly with student groups and mentors at dinner, athletic events, tutoring sessions, etc. Mid-semester progress reports from instructors are shared with faculty so they can identify students experiencing difficulties and recommend appropriate resources to address problems. Finally, approximately 36 practicing engineers have been invited to serve as industry mentors. These mentors meet with student groups and present information in the Introduction to Engineering course. It is hoped that this contact will reinforce a student’s commitment to engineering and lay the groundwork for future paid internship and co-op opportunities.
