Collegiate Initiatives

Summer Bridge is a selective six-week residential program that enhances academic preparedness for your first year! Scholars participate in a series of student success activities and programs. It ranges from students taking a course for credit, to learning how to study for their STEM majors, to creating community amongst each other.

Program Objectives

• Assist students in developing critical thinking skills for self-assessment in identifying their strengths and needed areas of improvement as related to their academic and professional development.
• Build a community of learners with the goal of academic excellence by preparing students for the expectations and requirements of the engineering curriculum.
• Facilitate student acclimation to college life for a successful transition from high school to college.
• Introducing students to prospective co-op employers through annual field trips such as: GE Aerospace, Children’s Hospital, Proctor and Gamble, and many more.
• Provide students with professional development skills and a connection to E3 alumni through interaction with industry partners.
• After the program's successful completion, students are placed into a learning community for their first year, along with scholarships.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Application closes on December 15, 2024
• Applicants will be notified of an interview in February 2025
• Students will receive acceptance into the program in March 2025
• Dates for Summer Bridge are June 16- July 25
• On-campus housing will be provided to students for the duration of the program
• Cost of attendance: $550 (includes: housing, meals, Campus Recreation Pass, and parking pass)

Apply for 2025 Dr. Prather Summer Bridge Program here! Please contact Andi Talbott with any questions.  

The Sophomore Summer Leadership Program hosted by the Office of Professional Development & Community Impact.

• This program is a 6-week on campus Co-op opportunity for students to enhance their leadership skills. Sophomore Leaders will be hired for up to 20 hours a week to be a TA for a Summer Bridge class. TA’s will participate in a weekly professional development course that will build up to a final presentation. TA’s will also work hands-on with incoming Summer Bridge students with tutoring and event planning.
• ALL Scholars selected will be a part of the PDCI EE Program during the academic year. Additional training, TA and event support will be offered on the non-Co-op semester.
• Benefits include weekly professional development, teacher's assitant experience in math or science Summer Bridge program, and up to 12 hours of student-worker payment for 6 weeks (paid bi-weekly)

Upon successful completion of the Dr. Prather Summer Bridge Program, students are then invited to participate in our Emerging Engineers First Year Learning Community. Students will have the opportunities to attend workshops, meet with industry partners, and attend a weekly seminar that focuses on first-year student success. 

Why is the Emerging Engineers First Year Learning Community Valuable?

Emerging Engineers participants in CEAS have an overall graduation rate higher than the national average and was recently ranked in the top 50 institutions nationally for number of baccalaureate engineering graduates. Emerging Engineer students will have access to the following opportunities:

• Co-op and Professional Development preparation
• Access to collaboration courses
• Success Coaching
• Canvas Community with resources
• Industry networking events
• Recognition at IECE Banquet
• End of Year Celebration

To be eligible for the Emerging Engineers First Year Learning Community, students will

• Maintain satisfactory academic standing in the college
• Participate in weekly seminars
• Attend collaborative courses
• Complete fifteen STEM-related volunteer hours
• Attend monthly professional development sessions

Questions? Please contact Andi Talbott, our Program Coordinator.

The Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program (COFSP) is a State of Ohio initiative designed to significantly strengthen Ohio’s competitiveness within STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) disciplines and STEMM education.

Funding through Choose Ohio First (COF) provides competitive scholarships that aid in meeting college costs while giving awarded scholars expanded and unique mentorship and programming opportunities in their discipline.

About Choose Ohio First

Choose Ohio First is a part of a strategic effort to retain Ohio residents and bolster Ohio’s economic strength by ensuring a ready workforce for STEMM-related industries.

The Office of Professional Development & Community Impact (PDCI) within the College of Engineering and Applied Science strives to empower individuals to transform their lives and achieve their highest potential by offering programs, services and scholarships that will enhance learning and lead to success. Choose Ohio First (COF) is a major initiative of PDCI and works collaboratively with the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Allied Health to provide dynamic student engagement. The engagement is a targeted effort to produce a broad community of scholars trained to excel in the STEMM disciplines via industry or academia upon graduation.

The Program Includes:

• Receive Success coaching and mentoring
• Conduct STEMM community engagement service
• Participate in monthly group social activities and workshops
• Author reflective writing exercises
• Develop ePortfolios of scholarship requirements

Choose Ohio First Scholarships is limited to the amount of funding received, number of scholars, and also limited majors approved by the state through the grant. There is no application, potential candidates are selected, and invited to the Summer Bridge Program through their initial application information submitted to Admissions by December 1.

The University of Cincinnati LSAMP site provides an educational environment to meet the three goals, academic integration, social integration, and professionalization of the LSAMP program. Students from Arts & Science, and the College of Engineering and Applied Science participate in the program.

The University of Cincinnati is one of ten universities in the Ohio participating in the National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), first awarded in 2014 and renewed in 2018, it is designed to increase the number of historically underrepresented students who earn STEM degrees and continue to graduate school.

All LSAMP Scholars participate in the Dr. Edward N. Prather Summer Bridge Program, a six-week residential program that seeks to enhance their academic preparedness for the freshman year.  The scholars must participate in academic year student success activities and programs along with our Choose Ohio First Scholars.

All LSAMP scholars in the College of Engineering are placed with a faculty mentor their freshman year.  This mentoring relationship aids in exploring their chosen career and introduces the scholar to research opportunities. LSAMP Scholars are encouraged and can participate in summer research opportunities.  These research experiences are key to the LSAMP model, providing insight into the application of coursework and experience, discovering new innovations in STEM.

Please contact Don Wittrock with any questions. 

Kicking off in October 2024,  the PDCI Mentorship Program provides a mentoring structure to assist first-year engineering students to identify career paths, foster professional growth, and increase collaboration and networking opportunities.

The mentor and mentee will participate in:

• Mentorship Matching Brunch (October)
• Monthly Meetings Between Mentor and Mentee (November-March)
• Optional PDCI Professional Development Events
• Mentorship Closing Reception (March)

Emerging Engineers 2^nd-5^th Year Learning Community is a unique program that focuses on our students professional and personal development. Students will have the opportunity to attend workshops, meet with industry partners and attend a weekly seminar that focuses on their success.

Why is the Emerging Engineers 2^nd-5^th Year Learning Community Valuable?

Emerging Engineers 2^nd-5^th Year Learning Community focuses on our students belonging and success. This is a 2^nd year retention effort that is unlike any other on our campus. Emerging Engineer 2^nd-5^th Year students will have the following opportunities:

• Co-op preparation/support
• Access to collaboration courses 
• Success Coaching
• Canvas Community with resources
• Industry networking events
• Professional Development
• After College Success Programs
• Recognition at PDCI Banquet
• End of Year Celebration  

To be eligible, you must:

• Be a 2^nd-5^th year student
• Maintain satisfactory academic standing in the college
• Participate in weekly seminars
• Attend collaborative courses
• Complete fifteen STEM-related volunteer hours
• Attend monthly professional development sessions 

Please contact Paul Feldkamp with any questions. 

Emerging Engineers Transition and Transfer Learning Community is a unique program that focuses on our students professional and personal development. Students will have the opportunity to attend workshops, meet with industry partners and attend a weekly seminar that focuses on their success.

Why is the Emerging Engineers Transition and Transfer Learning Community Valuable?

Emerging Engineers Transition and Transfer Learning Community focuses on our students' belonging and success. This is a transition/transfer learning community focused on belonging and community. Emerging Engineers Transition and Transfer Learning Community students will have the following opportunities:

• Co-op preparation/support
• Access to collaboration courses 
• Success Coaching
• Canvas Community with resources
• Industry networking events
• Professional Development
• After College Success Programs
• Recognition at PDCI Banquet
• End of Year Celebration  

To be eligible, you must:

• Be a transition or transfer student
• Maintain satisfactory academic standing in the college
• Participate in weekly seminars
• Attend collaborative courses
• Complete fifteen STEM-related volunteer hours
• Attend monthly professional development sessions 

Please contact Paul Feldkamp with any questions. 

The Southwest Ohio Scholars Program (SOSP) is part of the National Science Foundation's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) initiative. This program is specifically designed to support and empower undergraduate students who show strong potential in pursuing Computer Science (CS) degrees at the University of Cincinnati.

Through a combination of financial scholarships, academic support, and hands-on industry experience via the university’s co-op program, the SOSP aims to increase retention and graduation rates among its scholars.

Over a five-year period, the program will provide scholarships to 36 students across multiple cohorts, helping them complete their degrees and enter the workforce.

By fostering a culture of belonging and involving students’ families in their educational journey, the SOSP hopes to develop the next generation of diverse, talented computer scientists to meet the growing demand for technology professionals in Ohio.