The mission of the Program for Educational Enrichment and Retention and Women in Science and Engineering (PEER & WISE) is to educate, recruit, and retain students in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. To do so, this program focuses on mentoring, counseling, and academic coaching and enrichment through, for example, the PEER & WISE Experience. This unique initiative gives incoming students a glimpse of what their freshman year will be like as an engineering student. Over a period of four weeks during the summer, students meet others in their major and are exposed to introductory material that they will experience in more depth in their General Engineering, Chemistry, Physics and Calculus courses. According to the Associate Director of PEER, Lisa Jackson, “Because this experience gives these students a snippet of what they can expect, it can help them realize the importance of time management for being a successful Clemson student.” The goal of this program is to provide students with a better idea of what Clemson has to offer while helping them build connections with mentors and their peers.
This past summer, the PEER & WISE Experience brought 27 students from across the United States including the Virgin Islands, Kentucky, and Florida as well as South Carolina to Clemson. These students, who were housed in Douthit Hills, learned about the services that the campus offers and other valuable information that can benefit an incoming student. This experience, while important for all incoming students, is especially critical for first-generation college students. In addition to their introduction to their course work, students also toured industries in the area to learn about future possibilities for internships. By providing students with a better idea of what Clemson has to offer while helping them build connections with their mentors and peers, this program supports recruitment and retention efforts, a focus of the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences that is aligned with Clemson Elevate’s goal to provide the number one student experience in the nation.
