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This research paper presents a comprehensive analysis of existing literature in the domain of Engineering education, with a distinct focus on Engineering Technology (ET) education. The overarching objective is to review the literature around the experiences, identity development and outcomes of students transitioning from community colleges to 4-year institutions for an ET degree (upper two-year program) and provide guidelines for the engineering education research community towards future studies about this important body of student population. Relying on insights derived from a wide array of empirical studies, this review underscores the pivotal role of institutional support in bolstering these students’ academic trajectory. The increasing trend of students moving between institutions in pursuit of engineering education, has led to a profound need for understanding the multi-dimensional challenges they grapple with. In the realm of ET, these challenges magnify, with transfer students navigating both academic intricacies like curriculum misalignment and socio-cultural dynamics such as integration into new academic communities. Furthermore, the journey of identity development, quintessential for their retention and success in the new environment, is portrayed as an intricate process, influenced by diverse elements from their previous experiences to the new institutional ethos. First, ET transfer students are entangled in a web of academic and non-academic hurdles. These range from technicalities like curriculum harmonization to softer aspects related to socio-cultural integration and identity reformation. The studies discussed within this review provide robust evidence addressing these multifaceted challenges. Second, the significance of identity development, pivotal for their integration, performance, and overall well-being, emerges as a complex interplay of myriad factors, both internal and external. Despite the rich insights from the extant literature, the authors have identified the following areas that require further exploration to benefit the literature in this field: • Emphasis on empirical studies that delve into ET transfer students' psychological and emotional well-being. While the literature emphasizes the nuanced journey of identity development, there is potential merit in understanding how these transitions and challenges influence mental health outcomes, ensuring comprehensive institutional support. • An imperative for empirical pursuits targeting the identity evolution stages of ET transfer students, aiming to decode the driving forces and impediments in this sphere. • A probe into the effectiveness of recently adopted institutional mandates or initiatives designed to elevate the transfer odyssey, spotlighting potential lasting ramifications. In steering the larger academic community, this review advocates for a deeper immersion into the aforementioned realms, with the aspiration that the resultant knowledge amplifies the scholastic trajectories of ET transfer students and enriches their comprehensive evolution within the engineering spectrum. 

Wayne State University’s Division of Engineering Technology (ET) offers upper division only programs (2+2) leading to 4-year degrees. The typical challenges facing transfer students are in this case compressed into 2-year upper-division-only program offerings, which provides manifold opportunities to acquire new insights into how to help this sub-group of students, especially those with low social-economic status. In this project that in its early stages, PIs will (a) provide financial support to 4 cohorts of 12 high-achieving, low-income ET transfer students with unmet financial need (48 total unique students with each cohort running for two years); (b) implement evidence-based techniques to improve overall student retention rates, 4-year graduation rates, and average time-to-degree; and (c) foster professional identity and prepare students to enter the STEM workforce or graduate school. Authors hypothesize that (i) early engagement, and (ii) continuous support play a key role in fostering identification with the engineering profession, retention, and persistence of ET transfer students, thus improving their academic and professional outcomes. Accordingly, multiple evidence-based social, academic, and professional activities have been designed to engage and continuously support the scholars through their degree completion. The first cohort of students (10 students) are already recruited and enrolled for Fall 2023. In this process, PIs examined different recruitment strategies and learned important lessons for the next year. For example, the full-time enrollment requirement was changed to a minimum of 8 credit hours per semester to avoid the potential to cause negative impacts on students' performance and allow students more flexibility as most of them already have other work and familial responsivities. Also, minimum of credit hours to transfer at the time of application was lowered to a) be able to attract a larger pool of applicants, and b) address the inconsistency in how the applicants’ transfer credit hours were calculated. Most of students were coming with more transferrable credit hours than the number of credit hours that could actually be counted toward their degree. There were also some applicants who were enrolled for a good number of transferrable credit hours at the time of application that could count toward their degree when admitted. However, those credit hours were not visible in their official transcript when they applied for the scholarship. In the next round of application, PIs will request for unofficial transcripts as well to find a more accurate idea on the number of credit hours they could use toward their ET degree. So far, PIs have a) organized an orientation meeting for the scholars, b) created a Canvas group for the scholars for effective communications, and c) introduced the scholars to their faculty mentors. They have also distributed the first survey to both scholarship recipients and non-recipients and are eager to analyze the preliminary results for the continuous improvement of the project.