Persist in Engineering

What is engineering persistence?

Engineering persistence is a student staying in an engineering undergraduate major and completing the engineering degree.

In the Fulton Schools of Engineering, we want students to do more than persist, we want you to thrive in engineering. Thriving in engineering means success in both academics and outside the traditional classroom. That is, you belong in engineering and you strongly believe that you are an engineer.

What does it mean to thrive in engineering?

Thriving in engineering requires students to have a growth mindset as they pursue their passion and ambition to become an engineer. Individuals with a growth mindset believe that they can develop their abilities through effort, good strategies, and input from others. Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities or talents are innate gifts that they have from birth. However, it is important to know that we all have a mix of growth and fixed mindsets. Thus it is necessary to cultivate a spirit of deep engagement in your interests, and not giving up in the face of setbacks.

Having a growth mindset in engineering requires you to seek help from others (peers, near peers, faculty, academic advisors, family, friends, professionals), try new strategies, and learn from setbacks to move forward effectively.  Worry less about how you look to your peers or others. Put more energy into learning. This is easier said than done! It is hard work. Understand your strengths. When you face a challenge or a setback in an academic setting, where you may have received a less than ideal grade, it is easy to compare yourself to your peers, and become insecure, or question your own abilities. Know that you bring your own rich and unique perspective with the diversity of your background, life experiences, and your aspirations. Build on these assets and your own strengths to cultivate a growth mindset behavior.

What is the Engineering Futures (FSE) program?

The Engineering Futures Mentoring program is designed to support your engineering journey from day one. Are you a first-generation-to-university student entering FSE as a first-time freshman in Fall 2023?

Join this program to not only persist but also thrive in engineering.

The Engineering Futures Mentoring Program application is available now for students starting as a first-time full-time student in FSE in Fall 2023.

The Engineering Futures Scholarship application for the 2023-24 academic year is open until October 23, 2023 for students starting as a first-time full-time student in FSE in Fall 2023. In order for your application to be considered you need to have submitted your ALEKS Math Placement score to ASU and have a completed FAFSA application on file at ASU. All communication will be sent to the recipient’s ASU email address.

Engineering Futures (FSE) Program Outcomes

EE: My Engineering Education: Navigate my engineering degree
EE1: Students will demonstrate the importance of critical major map courses as fundamental professional knowledge
EE2: Students will demonstrate academic progress in the critical courses in their major map
ES: My Success: Build my engineering success from where I am
ES1: Students will identify their strengths
ES2: Students will identify and implement strategies to build up from where they are
ES3: Students will develop a personalized approach to share their strengths for academic and professional purposes
EP: My Engineering Professional Development: Invest in my aspirations to become a professional engineer
EP1: Students will articulate what it means to be an engineer
EP2: Students will identify activities they will complete to develop their aspirational career plan
EP3: Students will complete activities to achieve their aspirational career plan
EP4: Students will build a network of peers, near peers, alumni, and professionals to support their professional growth
EC: My Communication Skills: Develop oral and written communication skills essential for engineering
EC1: Students will prepare and maintain a technical resume
EC2: Students will establish and maintain a public professional presence on LinkedIn and Handshake
EC3: Students will demonstrate technical writing and presentation skills

Share and learn from your peers and near peers, collaborate to study regularly, innovate on design problems or challenges with like minded students, seek feedback from your engineering community, and most importantly learn from your errors. Engineering is a team sport. Engineers learn from failure.

Program leads

Contact via [email protected]

Kyle Squires, PhD
Professor and Dean

James Collofello, PhD
Professor and Vice Dean, Academic and Student Affairs

Tirupalavanam Ganesh, PhD
Tooker Professor and Assistant Dean, Engineering Education

Robin Hammond
Director, Fulton Engineering Career Center

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1744539. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.