Drive to Thrive

Student Success in Career & Technical STEM Education

Project Overview

The Drive to Thrive: Student Success in Career & Technical STEM Education project aims to spark transformative change in automotive technology (AT) student wellness and financial literacy by comprehensively exploring the nuances of the AT student experience. Thanks to funding from the ECMC Foundation, the Drive to Thrive project expands the scope of the initial EDiCTS study to include all 41 U.S. community colleges with Ford ASSET programs. Through unique collaborations with Ford ASSET community colleges, Ford/Lincoln dealerships, and the Ford Motor Company, the project will offer key insights on: (i) AT students’ overall wellness and financial literacy, (ii) how financial literacy curriculum relates to Ford ASSET students’ wellness and financial knowledge, and (iii) ways to improve student retention, degree completion, and workforce entry for Ford ASSET students.

Ford ASSET

The Ford Automotive Student Service Education Training (Ford ASSET) program is a two-year associate degree program that allow students to gain work experience and earn certifications while enrolled in college. Ford ASSET students are required to work at a sponsoring Ford or Lincoln dealership during their degree program. This paid “co-op” or internship experience empowers students to apply what they learn in the classroom, become familiar with the dealership/workplace environment, and earn money while they pursue their automotive technology degree.

Drive to Thrive Activities

The Drive to Thrive project involves multiple activities designed to assess and improve automotive technology students’ wellness and financial literacy, including online surveys, a 4-session workshop with related activities, and focus group or individual interviews.

Because community college students often lack the financial resources needed to persist toward degree completion (see Mayhew et al., 2016) and community college students who receive small grants are more likely to persist (see Nguyen et al., 2019), we provide generous incentives to all students who complete the Drive to Thrive activities.

  • All participating automotive technology students will complete two or three online surveys.

    • Ford ASSET students participating in the in-person workshop will be asked to complete three surveys: a pre-workshop survey, a post-workshop survey, and then a final survey at the end of the semester.

    • Any automotive technology students not participating in the in-person workshop will be asked to complete two surveys with the same questions as the pre-workshop and final surveys.

    All survey links will be sent directly to participating students’ emails. If you have questions about a survey or its link, please email Courtney DeRoche at deroche.12@osu.edu.

  • Financial literacy skills are crucial for college students as they navigate the transition into adulthood and manage their finances independently (see Lusardi, 2019). Understanding concepts such as budgeting, debt management, investing, and saving is essential for students’ long-term financial well-being (see Wolla, 2017). The initial EDiCTS participants described their struggles with healthy behaviors and choices, especially regarding finances.

    To improve students’ financial knowledge and provide resources for continued growth, the Drive to Thrive project includes a 4-part workshop series specially-designed for Ford ASSET students by Dr. Jack Popovich (Professor of Finance, Columbus State Community College). Each of the sessions are available below:

  • All Ford ASSET students who participate in the in-person workshop will have an opportunity to participate in either an in-person focus group interview (immediately following the workshop) or a virtual one-on-one interview (via Zoom, scheduled after workshop date).

    These interviews provide students extended space to integrate the workshop material and to identify interpersonal resources and coping strategies that will promote persistence. For focus groups, such peer interaction has been demonstrated to enhance learning and increase GPA in college populations (Lundberg, 2014), thus indirectly promoting retention.   

Presentations and Papers

Print Pieces

Mayhew, M., Creamer, E., & Townsend, S. (n.d.). Drive to Thrive One-Page Informational Sheet. College Impact Laboratory.

Ciccone, J. K. (2024, September 13). Grant to support diverse students entering auto industry. The Ohio State University. https://ehe.osu.edu/news/listing/grant-support-diverse-students-entering-auto-industry

Presentations

Creamer, E., & Mayhew, M. (2025, February). Drive to Thrive: Wellness for Enhancing Student Success. Educational session presented at the 2025 ACPA Convention (College Student Educators International), Long Beach, CA, United States.