Black Men in Engineering Graduate Programs: A Theoretical Model of the Motivation to Persist

Abstract

Background A growing body of research highlights the experiences of Black men students who successfully navigate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational pathways. Many Black men graduate students in engineering describe moments when their advisors, peers, and, at times, community members make them feel different because of their race and gender. Needed is a better understanding of what motivates Black men to persist in graduate school despite such challenges. Purpose This study advances a new theoretical model, “Black Men's Graduate Engineering Motivation” (BMGEM), to describe the overlaying factors and sources of motivation—and their interrelations—that influence Black men in engineering graduate programs to persist. Research Design To explore the motivational factors that influence Black men in graduate engineering programs at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) to persist, this study of 42 students used an eight-item demographic form, one-on-one semi-structured interviews, and follow-up focus groups. Data analysis was conducted using adapted grounded theory techniques. After the completion of data collection and multiple iterations of analyses (both inductive and deductive), existing conceptualizations of motivation were used to help make sense of data. The connection to existing literature, code development, their placement into categories, and placing categories into themes led to the creation of a substantive, practice-informing theory: Black Men's Graduate Engineering Motivation. Findings Data analysis resulted in the theory of Black Men's Graduate Engineering Motivation (BMGEM). The BMGEM explains the overlaying factors that influence individuals’ experiences and motivations to persist (i.e., sociocultural factors, personal factors, social identities, pre-graduate school experiences), and external and internal motivational sources that also influence students’ motivations to persist (i.e., desire to earn a graduate degree, desire to become an engineer, challenges during graduate school, peers, family members, [under]representation, self-coaching practices, career and professional goals). Conclusions and Recommendations The findings from this study inform future research, and practice-based strategies around broadening participation, that aid in Black men's progress through science and engineering pathways. With this new information, we charge engineering colleges to make true commitments to broadening participation, which means centering students—in this case, Black men—as contributors to STEM. In doing so, engineering colleges need to commit to helping Black men succeed. Assisting in their motivation to persist is a key to meeting this charge.

Moving toward stronger advising practices: How Black males’ experiences at HPWIs advance a more caring and wholeness-promoting framework for graduate advising

“…Yet, he describes his doctoral advisor questioning his academic abilities. This finding is all too common; students feel they must prove that they are good enough to be in their graduate program (Burt et al, 2020; Fries-Britt, 2017; Fries-Britt & Griffin, 2007), which results in expending unhealthy levels of effort as well as isolation (Burt et al, 2018; McGee et al, 2019). Further, Jacob expresses disdain about being recruited to his doctoral institution (“.…”

“…Several studies include descriptions of advisors demeaning students' academic abilities (Burt et al, 2019;Gildersleeve et al, 2011), and microaggressing against students based on racist, gendered, and other marginalized identity-based stereotypes (Felder & Barker, 2013). Just as positive advising experiences can help students to self-author their academic journeys and personal and professional identities (Baxter Magolda, 2003;Burt, 2020), negative ones can diminish students' motivation (Burt et al, 2020;Perez et al, 2019), contribute to dropout from school (Golde, 2005), and have lasting psychological and health-related impacts (McGee & Stovall, 2015). As reported in Burt et al (2019), it is possible that some advisors-likely performing advising practices they learned as graduate students-unknowingly perpetuate damaging advising.…”

“…Earlier scholarship provided information on the extent to which advising impacts students' graduate experiences (Austin, 2002;Austin & McDaniels, 2006;Barnes & Austin, 2009;Burt et al, 2019Burt et al, , 2020Felder & Barker, 2013;Gasman et al, 2008;Golde, 2005;Lovitts, 2001;McCallum, 2020). For instance, Barnes et al's (2010) content analysis of open-ended survey responses from all doctoral students at one institution provided detailed accounts of students' advising experiences based on their perceptions of particular advisor attributes (e.g., caring vs. uninterested).…”

A Narrative of the Community Cultural Wealth of a Black Male Engineering Undergraduate Student

“…A growing body of literature has sought to investigate barriers and facilitators to the success of Black men along the educational pathway (i.e., K-12 through graduate study; Brooms, 2023;Burt et al, 2020;Collins & Jones Roberson, 2020;Henderson et al, 2022;Holly Jr., 2020;McGee et al, 2022;Sellers et al, 2022;Spencer, 2021;Tolbert Smith, 2002). Though extant literature has linked the lack of representation of Black men in engineering to several challenges, such as isolation, marginalization, and racial bias (Malone & Barabino, 2009;McGee, 2016;McGee & Martin, 2011;Ortiz et al, 2019;Spencer, 2021), hostile educational environments (McGee, 2016;Spencer, 2021), and gendered-antiblackness (Brooms, 2023;Pirtle et al, 2021), this body of research has also galvanized researchers to understand the assets that Black men leverage to succeed in engineering and STEM more broadly (Fries-Britt & White-Lewis, 2020;Henderson, Junqueira et al, 2023;Spencer, 2021).…”

To an Academic Writer Who’s Been Stuck or Questioned Their Ability, But Refused to Give Up: A Love Letter

“…When I started sending my work to Teachers College Record (TCR) (Burt et al, 2020(Burt et al, , 2021(Burt et al, , 2023, for example, I sensed that I was trying to communicate something BIG to a wide readership. TCR's editors and reviewers did not disappoint me; I received volumes of difficult feedback.…”