Role Reversal

Despite the program's growth, Dimitriu says it is still difficult to establish transfer agreements with four-year colleges. Right now, he has formal agreements with five four-year colleges. He's hoping that as more San Antonio engineering graduates go on to four-year institutions and do well that additional agreements will be easier to forge.

In the meantime, Dimitriu and his colleagues at other twoyear colleges know that even if their students end up not transferring to a four-year institution, they have still succeeded. "They still leave here with a degree that can help them get a job in the field," says St. Louis Community College's Agrawal. "If engineering students drop out of a four-year college after two years, they leave with nothing to show for their effort but some credits."

Jeffrey Selingo is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.

Copyright AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION Mar 2007
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved