Promoting computer science, engineering, and related programs with scholarships and student support services

Women nationally comprise about 20% of information technology professionals. Only 9% of American engineers are women. This paper describes efforts, through the National Science Foundation's Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships program, to increase the number of graduates, especially women and other under-represented groups, in these fields at The Community College of Baltimore County in Maryland. From fall 2001 through fall 2003, scholarship awards, generally of $3,125 per year, were made to 73 full-time students. Criteria included 2.5 Grade Point Average, and verified unmet financial need. The average awardee received the scholarship for two semesters. Half of these awards were made to women. Faculty mentoring, and a required one-week summer experience for academic support, career and transfer information, and field trips to local businesses and government agencies were used to increase retention and success. Success rates for awardees are compared with those at the college and in the state.

Institutional Background Information

The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) is a public two-year college system with three campuses (Essex, Dundalk, and Catonsville) serving the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. The three campuses combined offered transfer and career programs to 28,566 unduplicated credit students in Fiscal Year 2003. Fall 2003 credit enrollment at CCBC overall was 20,025 students of which 7,030 were full-time, and 2,559 were first-time full-time students. Fifty percent of the credit students were enrolled in transfer programs, and 66% of credit students were female. In FY 2003, the total number of Associate's degrees awarded at CCBC was 1,304 of which 61% were Transfer Degrees, and 39% were Career Degrees. CCBC requires a minimum of 60 semester credits for the Associate's degree with a GPA of at least 2.0 (C average). Of the 1,570 graduates who earned Associate degrees (1, 304 graduates) or certificates (404 awards) in FY 2003, 61% were female and 21% were African American.