WISE IE

WISE IE

SIF112 Wise Innovation Ecosystem

Project Manager: Donna Henry with Shannon Blevins, UVA Wise

The purpose of this project is to increase enrollment in technical programs and create a more robust culture of entrepreneurship and innovation.

BoV Approved: June 2017

Project Dates: 7/11/2017 – 7/10/2023

Total Funding: $3,485,460

Executive Summary

This award is designed to create a Wise Innovation Ecosystem to increase enrollment in technical programs and foster a more robust culture of entrepreneurship and innovation. These are important steps toward diversifying the regional economy, and UVa's College at Wise is uniquely positioned to play a leadership role in supporting job growth and economic prosperity.

The Wise Innovation Ecosystem leverages existing investments and proposes to:

l. Increase enrollment in technical programs such as software engineering, computer science and management of information systems (MIS); and

2. Create a center for innovation for students to collaborate and develop entrepreneurial skills through real world, hands-on learning experiences.

By focusing on these areas, UVa-Wise students will develop the skills needed to be relevant and competitive in today's economy.

Current Status: Completed

Achievements

The Wise Innovative Ecosystem (WISE IE) has catalyzed vital initiatives designed to increase enrollment in technology programs and create a thriving, sustainable ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and experiential learning at UVA Wise. Over the course of the grant, the College has benefited from key personnel hires, technology purchases, support for new and existing programs, recruitment and retention of technology talent, and targeted enrollment marketing.

Notably, WISE IE allowed for the expansion of the College’s Experiential Learning Hub and Student Success Center and launched the Service Living Learning Community. Started in fall 2022, the Service Living Learning Community helps students with a passion for community engagement and volunteerism find peers with similar interests serve local and regional communities. The group also assists with the annual Day in STEM-H, in which middle school students from around the region learn about careers in STEM-H and perform labs to gain hands-on experience. The 2023 event hosted over 530 students from seven schools.

Regional entrepreneurship programs expanded to include the first CreatorCon event, a two-day conference attracting over 100 entrepreneurs and support organizations across Southwest Virginia. Through sustained operational support provided by SIF, program participation also increased at the Nest, an on-campus student entrepreneurship center. One such program is the Side Hustle Market, which is open to both students and the broader community and provides entrepreneurs and artists an opportunity to sell and market their products, gather feedback on products, and pitch for crowdfunding. The second annual event in April 2023 garnered over 150 attendees and awarded prize money to the best booth. The College has also launched a Diversity Panel of Black Entrepreneurs highlighting alumni and regional entrepreneurs to share their stories of success and challenges.

With support from the Strategic Investment Fund, the College targeted first-time freshmen and transfer students in software engineering, computer science, management information systems (MIS), mathematics, and science to bolster the “turbo” program, first piloted in fall 2016. The program focuses on courses that present the most challenge for first- and second-year students entering STEM fields. The goals of the turbo courses were to (1) create an environment emphasizing student success through the mastery of life-long learning habits; (2) significantly increase the retention rate of STEM students; and (3) develop an integrated approach to retention. The student success initiative utilized tools like study halls, tutors, and additional oversight from professors in courses that have been particularly difficult for students, including Calculus and Data-Structures. 

Although UVA Wise did not see an increase in STEM enrollment from the reference 2018-2019 academic year, we have seen an increase in interest in technology program. It I now one of the top five interests for incoming new students and we have seen an increase in credit hour which signals potential increases in declared majors and minors. Moreover, the Management of Information Systems (MIS) program was revamped to include new courses. This has resulted in a 43% increase in enrollment since 2020

Early intervention was also employed as part of WISE IE to provide additional support to students in STEM. Through the hire of an intervention coordinator, students in STEM courses were provided a resource for help with content, time management, study habits, and workload. One-on-one sessions allow coordinators to assess students’ individual needs and set practical goals, while boot camps in Precalculus and Calculus offer online modules for assistance.

Additionally, strengthening the pipeline of students into STEM degrees necessitates a strong K12 program. As part of WISE IE, the College launched STREAMWISE, an initiative that leverages relationships in 17 school districts to increase awareness surrounding occupations in STEM fields, and SWVA Can Code, a program to introduce coding and technology careers to local middle school students. The College has grown this program and recently hired a director to lead strategic planning efforts and increase the outreach and engagement with regional school systems with a focus on increasing awareness of STEM-related programs offered at UVA Wise.

WISE IE allowed the College to continue hosting the annual Cybersecurity Symposium to highlight and grow the regional cybersecurity workforce and raise the profile of the College’s STEM programs. The Symposium hosted representatives across the tech industry to address topics in cybersecurity and culminates in a juried multi-part hacking and defense competition. UVA Wise engaged expertise at UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science to assist in identifying speakers, further enriching the experience of UVA Wise technology students.

WISE IE included shared courses with UVA in cybersecurity and technology, and through an MOU with the UVA School of Continuing and Professional Studies, UVA Wise will offer nine additional shared courses beginning in fall 2024. SIF fueled growth of the Wise Works internship program which led to the College’s regional coordination of the statewide Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (VTOP) initiative. Lastly, a focus on increased enrollment and retention has led to an overall enrollment increase of 14% in fall 2023, which resulted mainly from increased marketing efforts and academic support systems funded through SIF. The Office of Admissions and Enrollment Management has teamed with the marketing and communications department to invest in and leverage new technologies to reach new markets and broaden the College’s online presence.