Mentoring And Community Service For Recrutiment And Retention Of Women In S...


Panel/Workshop:	Concurrent Session
Paper Title:	Mentoring And Community Service For Recrutiment And Retention Of Women In Science And Engineering At The University Of Arizona
Date & Time:	06/10/03 09:45
Abstract:	Two programs through the Women in Science and Engineering program (WISE) at the University of Arizona (UA) focus recruitment and retention efforts on women from community colleges and the university in science and engineering. Project Futurebound recruits women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, with a special focus on women of color, from Pima Community College. Transferring women are supported through a mentoring community and internships in UA research laboratories. Strategies for dealing with transfer shock and building community among women students have been key for retention. A second program, the Virtual Development Center project engages women engineering students with local communities in designing technology with social relevance. Women engineering students motivated by the desire to contribute to community have volunteered to participate in these projects and talk about the relevance of the projects as a deciding factor for staying in engineering.
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