Grainger VIP Impact Report

GRAINGER UNDERGRADUATE LEARNING CENTER

Efforts have been focused on reaching students through various types of advertising to let them know about the services offered at the Undergraduate Learning Center (ULC). Additionally, we have started offering programs to support students in all aspects of their learning, regardless of where they started their journey.

NEW PROGRAMS Badger Engineering Start (BEST) Program

The BEST program is a vital early-start initiative designed to support first-year engineering students who place into precalculus. Through this program, students build a strong community of learners, familiarize themselves with campus life and resources, and reinforce essential math concepts. The program’s focus on ongoing support ensures that students are well-prepared as they progress through their first year. While the results of the program were varied, they provided valuable insights that will shape the program moving forward. Notably, students who regularly attended study tables performed better overall than those who did not, leading to the decision to make participation in study tables or enrollment in Math PrEPS a program expectation this year. Looking ahead, we are encouraged by the success stories of the 11 students who progressed into their majors and the positive overall GPA of 3.09 among BEST scholars. These outcomes affirm our commitment to continuously improving the program, ensuring that every student has the support they need to succeed in their engineering journey at UW Madison. Study Skills Workshops Four workshops on study skills were offered in the fall semester. Each workshop was attended by about 10 students. We are exploring ways to increase attendance at these workshops. The workshops were:

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