NSF CURE Summer Bridge Program
The online Summer Bridge Program (SBP) is a National Science Foundation-funded initiative (NSF Award #2318158) that launched in 2026 to help rising second-year engineering students build a strong foundation in Statics and Mechanics of Materials.
Our Purpose
Statics and Mechanics of Materials have been identified as gatekeeper courses at Cal Poly Pomona, with historically high failure rates. From 2023 to 2026, the NSF CURE Summer Bridge Program supported 70 students through an in-person experience at no cost, in partnership with three institutions, to strengthen foundational skills and improve success in these courses. To expand access beyond the in-person cohort, we subsequently launched an online version of the Summer Bridge Program to continue supporting students year-round.
Program Long-Term Goals
As the students prepare for the two courses that have been identified as gatekeeper courses at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, we hope for the following:
- Higher performance in Statics & Mechanics of Materials
- Higher performance in subsequent courses
- Decrease dropout rates in engineering
- Reduce time-to-degree
- Provide resources to other institutions who are seeing similar struggles
- Increase STEM workforce with competent and prepared engineers
Getting Started
Get started by visiting the Learning Portal to access Statics and Mechanics of Materials lessons, practice problems, and supplemental resources. Content is organized by topic to support self-paced learning and concept mastery.