Engineering Program Development

Antelope Valley College (AVC)

AVC is located in California's High Desert region, an area rich in aerospace and defense resources while serving as the only community college in its 2,000-square-mile service district. Like most public community colleges, AVC has battled chronic underfunding and has relied heavily on competitive federal grant funding to develop programs for their diverse student population. This led AVC to partner with WRD Consulting Group over the past 25 years to secure over $26 million in Title V DHSI and Title III HSI-STEM grants. With these resources, AVC has developed three engineering pathways (Computer, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering) and established a partnership with CSU Long Beach that provides local access to bachelor's degrees, investing over $2.5 million in laboratory and technology resources. Since launching their first engineering cohort in 2000 with just 28 students, AVC now enrolls over 500 engineering students and graduates or transfers more than 300 STEM students annually. Hispanic student representation significantly outpaces national averages, with Hispanic students comprising 62.5% of Electrical Engineering graduates and 64.7% of Mechanical Engineering graduates - compared to the national average of 21.1%. These graduates generate a total economic impact of $43.5 million annually in the region. (Report forthcoming)

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California State University Bakersfield (CSUB)

CSUB is located at the southern end of California’s Central Valley, an area rich in agricultural and energy resources while educational opportunity is scarce. To meet regional needs and reach a broader, more diverse student population, CSUB has partnered with WRD over the past two decades to develop and secure multiple Title V Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions (DHSI) and Title III HSI-STEM grants. With these resources, CSUB has developed three baccalaureate degree programs in engineering with multiple areas of emphasis to prepare students for careers in the region’s most dominant industry sectors – agriculture and energy. Grant funding resourced the construction of an engineering building with classroom space, lab space, and a student advising and success center for students enrolled in the college of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering. Since launching their first engineering program in 2010, CSUB has graduated nearly 600 students with engineering degrees. These students have median earnings of $112,625 within five years of completion. Today, the proportion of Hispanic students who major in engineering outpaces the university’s overall Hispanic student enrollment of 69%, with 83% of Computer Engineering majors, 85% of Electrical Engineering majors, and 100% of Engineering Science majors identifying as Hispanic. Learn More

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‍California State University San Marcos (CSUSM)

In 2016, CSUSM recognized Hispanic students were experiencing disproportionately low STEM enrollment and degree completion rates. In response, CSUSM partnered with WRD Consulting Group to develop and secure a Title III HSI-STEM grant designed to establish software and electrical engineering programs, create articulation and transfer agreements in engineering, and build an ecosystem for success. While the 2016 award established the program, a subsequent 2021 Title III HSI-STEM award strengthened the program with holistic supports, an enhanced focus on career, and more robust connections to industry partners. CSUSM granted its first degrees in electrical engineering in 2022-23 to 13 graduates, 10 of whom were Hispanic. In 2023-24, 23 students earned degrees in electrical engineering, 13 of whom were Hispanic. (Report Forthcoming)

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