CWU-Des Moines Computer Science Program Building Interest, Momentum

Finding enough workers to satisfy the ever-growing demand in the technology industry continues to be a challenge for the region's top employers.

The computer science program at CWU-Des Moines is growing fast after it launched in the fall of 2021.

The solution for companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft has been elusive in recent years, but Central Washington University-Des Moines is taking steps to ease the tech-training gap with its new computer science program.

With support from CWU leaders, state legislators, and Highline College, CWU-Des Moines has built one of the largest cohorts at the eight university centers and instructional sites, welcoming dozens of students from around the world into the computer science fold since the program was introduced in the fall of 2021.

The steadily growing interest has not only given the satellite campus an enrollment boost; it has also provided a new glimmer of hope for the Northwest tech industry.

"We knew we just needed to get the program started with reasonable success, and then it would get better and better over time," said CWU Computer Science (CS) Department Chair Bruce Palmquist. "But things have been going even better than expected, and we feel like people are going to start flocking to us next year."

"It feels a bit surreal, but we still have a lot of work to do," added Computer Science department academic advisor Angela Murry-Walker, who has helped recruit students from Vietnam, Japan, and China for the current cohort while making inroads with dozens more prospective students. "It's easy to get them to come, but getting them to stay and being able to maintain our enrollment is how we gauge our success. But we definitely have a lot to build on now."

One way the CWU-Des Moines program has separated itself from similar offerings at other state institutions is that it allows students to complete their general education and program prerequisite requirements from various colleges and universities before enrolling in the upper-level, in-person courses they need to obtain a four-year computer science degree.

Another reason Highline College appeals to many Puget Sound-area residents is that place-bound students can pursue their associate's degree credits at Highline (or other area schools) before seamlessly transferring to the four-year CWU program, conveniently offered on the same campus.

The bachelor's degree pathway previously was more limited for internationally based computer science students, but a bill passed by the Washington Legislature in early 2021 granted authority to two-year institutions to offer computer science bachelor's degree programs. Murry-Walker said CS faculty members have gone out of their way to help the influential new program thrive at CWU-Des Moines.

"The Computer Science Department has worked outside the box and continues to look for new ways to make this work," she said. "The faculty has been very supportive, and instead of finding ways to say 'no,' they have helped us say 'yes' to more prospective students."

Murry-Walker explained that the CS faculty agreed to non-traditional methods for earning general education requirements (e.g., remote learning), and the Department of International Studies stepped in as a liaison to outline those exceptions. Meanwhile, CWU has been working to create new equivalencies for students that help them transition easily into the bachelor's degree program.

"The initial success of this program happened because of everyone's willingness to push the envelope," said Murry-Walker, who also works closely with the students and their families to impart what makes CWU special. "We have all come together to help keep our program balanced across the board, and that will help us set up more of our students for success."

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Investing Time and Resources

The personal attention offered by Murry-Walker and the faculty has gone a long way toward setting the program apart in the minds of students and their families. Instead of being made to feel like just another enrollee, students in the CWU-Des Moines computer science program feel both welcome and appreciated.

Others, like Stacy Soderstrom and Kimberly Valenti from the Office of International Studies and Programs, build relationships with students and their families, often traveling to their home countries to share information about CWU's program offerings.

"Being across the ocean from your family can feel pretty unpredictable for the students we are recruiting," Palmquist said. "They come here with a lot of uncertainty, so what we try to do is give them a lot of face-to-face attention so they will feel personally connected to our program and Central. If they have a positive experience, they will share that with people back home. That word of mouth is really key, and it's going to help us as we keep growing."

While Palmquist, Murry-Walker and the Office of International Studies recruiters have been the driving forces behind the program's initial success, they know they couldn't have reached their current level without the support of others at CWU and Highline College.

Senior Lecturer Rosemary Salter began traveling to CWU-Des Moines once a week in the spring to deliver in-person instruction for her CS-325 Technical Writing class, and she has continued to make regular appearances this fall. Two more instructors also visited the Highline College campus a few times during the fall quarter, providing their students with essential personal connections that help accelerate their development.

"We believe this program will work best if we can provide a mix of face-to-face instruction with some asynchronous lectures," Palmquist said. "This model seems to work better with people's schedules. We pick a time that the in-person classes will work best, and then we try to give the students a reason to buy in."

Similarly, Palmquist has been driving over to the west side from Ellensburg once a week to interact with the fall 2022 cohort, which demonstrates to his students that he cares about their success.

"Bruce is the most present of our department chairs and that is very empowering to our students," Murry-Walker said of Palmquist, who also teaches one of his astronomy courses at CWU-Sammamish on Mondays. "The majority of our cohort has met their department chair, which shows them that they have a voice; that their departments leaders are listening to them."

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Looking to the Future

Now that the CWU-Des Moines program has built some momentum, the team is beginning to look toward the future. Murry-Walker is still busy recruiting for next year, and she is currently working closely with a group of students to help them complete their prerequisites to participate in the fall 2023 cohort. Her eventual goal is to build an additional cohort that can complement the groups who begin in the fall.

"We want to prove that our department can admit people beyond just the fall quarter," she said. "Our goal is to help them year-round with their prerequisites and teach them all of the programming fundamentals in the CWU style. Then we can build from there."

The program also plans to introduce a student ambassador program that will serve as a direct recruiting tool in countries where the CWU brand has already been established. A major selling point for international students is that they can come to the U.S. and develop the skills and connections they need to begin a career in the tech-heavy Puget Sound area.

"We need to be willing to go the extra mile and talk to prospective students about what they are looking for in a program," Palmquist said. "Doing the little things, like building relationships and showing that extra level of commitment, are going to help us sell the program in the long run. With a good strategic plan, it's just going to keep growing."

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Legislative Support

The CWU-Des Moines computer science program would not be where it is today without the backing of lawmakers on both sides of the state.

During the 2021 legislative session, CWU partnered with Highline College to request $1.5 million to launch the program. With the support of Senators Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge Island), and Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake), the funding was included in the Senate's 2021-23 operating budget proposal.

In the House, Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Mia Gregerson (D-Des Moines) was instrumental in seeing the funding through in the final state budget that was delivered to the governor.