The Women in Applied Science and Engineering (WISE) Recruitment Programs: investing in the future

The Women in Applied Science and Engineering (WISE) Summer Recruitment Programs are designed to introduce female students to the twelve engineering disciplines available at ASU. WISE TEAMS targets middle school girls entering grades 6-9, especially under-represented ethnic minorities. The TEAMS program consists of three days of team training in the context of science and engineering exploration. The hands-on engineering and science labs and physical activities are described. WISE-Up, a weeklong residential program, is offered for high school girls entering grades 10-12. WISE-Up offers a variety of labs and activities, company tours, team-building exercises, and a weeklong, hands-on, team project. In addition, WISE awards scholarships to outstanding senior participants in WISE-Up. An overview of the WISE Summer Recruitment Programs is presented, as well as retention data on 1997-2000 participants who are now attending ASU. In addition, the paper discusses the need for and impact of recruitment programs specifically geared toward female students.