Our Mission

To improve the retention and graduation rates of undergraduate engineering students.

What is EESI?

The Educating Engineering Students Innovatively (EESI, pronounced “Easy”) Program was established in 2017 to inspire and support undergraduate engineering students, ensuring an “EESI” journey to the STEM workforce. The program engages students in hands-on, experiential learning to strengthen technical skills, reinforce foundational engineering concepts, and enhance the overall college experience. EESI provides students with opportunities to apply engineering in real-world contexts through four tracks: Industry, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Community Engagement, and Research.

EESI Tracks

EESI consists of four tracks that provide experiential learning opportunities for upperclassmen students. These tracks help develop skills in project management, engineering ethics, and user-centered design.

Industry

Students in this track work on industry-sponsored projects similar to a senior design capstone experience. They collaborate with technical advisors to meet project deliverables while gaining insight into industry expectations, workplace culture, and career pathways.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

This track supports students interested in developing innovative solutions or pursuing entrepreneurial ventures. Students design and prototype solutions to engineering problems while considering user needs, market demand, and the engineering design process.

Engineering Projects in Community Service

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS), created at Purdue University, allows students to participate in service-learning engineering projects that benefit local communities. These experiences have been shown to improve student retention, especially female engineering students, while demonstrating how engineering can positively impact society.

Research

Students in this track work alongside selected faculty on cutting-edge research. Faculty are selected not only for their expertise but also for their commitment to student success and providing a supportive learning environment.

Dr. Choi - Resilient Infrastructure & Disaster Response Center (RIDER)
Dr. Jung - AI-Assisted Design of Structural Components
Dr. Moses - Connected and automated Vehicles
NASA - United Leadership Initiative (ULI) Integrated Zero Emissions Aviation (IZEA)

EESI Outcomes

Figure 1. FAMU Engineering Students Fall-to-Fall Retention (2018-2020 Cohort)

Figure 2. Probability of Retention in Engineering from Sophomore to Senior Year

The EESI program has demonstrated strong outcomes in engineering preparedness. As shown in Figure 1, EESI participants exhibit higher year-to-year retention compared to both Engineering LLC and general engineering students. Notably, nearly twice as many EESI students progress to their senior year compared to non-participants. Figure 2 further illustrates that EESI students have a significantly higher probability of advancing from sophomore to senior year. These results highlight the effectiveness of combining experiential learning with structured student support in improving workforce readiness and persistence in engineering.

EESI Partners

In 2020, the project was awarded a 5-year $1M grant from the National Science Foundation. This activity is also supported by funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Title III Program. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Title III, which helps strengthen and enhance our programs for the benefit of our students and community. In addition to Title III, the EESI program is supported by donations from other industrial partners: