Implementing Institutional Change To Increase Engineering Diversity

Abstract

The barriers to gender equity in engineering are daunting in an environment where boys and girls only 9 years old have internalized gender stereotypes that dictate that physical-science and technology are for boys and that life science is for girls. In a world where minorities are projected to make up more than 40% of new workforce entrants by 2008, it is unacceptable that white high school students are four times more likely than African American students to take pre-calculus or calculus. The reality is that girls graduate high school with skills and knowledge comparable to boys, but are far less likely than boys to pursue engineering. In contrast, while comparably few minorities graduate high school with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully enter engineering studies, they do so in numbers representative of their participation in college education as a whole, but are far less likely than whites to graduate.

S Stem: Eng^2 Scholars For Success Engineering Engagement

“…Thus, the initial and major task is to increase recruitment of female students who plan to attend college. 8 With respect to underrepresented minorities, both low recruitment and retention are barriers to increasing the number of gradutes. 8 Among students who have financial need, a key retention component is providing non-loan based awards that are correlated with higher persistence rates 5 .…”

“…8 With respect to underrepresented minorities, both low recruitment and retention are barriers to increasing the number of gradutes. 8 Among students who have financial need, a key retention component is providing non-loan based awards that are correlated with higher persistence rates 5 . Additionally, retention of engineering students is shown to improve with programs that engage the students beginning with the first year [9][10][11][12][13][14] .…”

S-STEM: ENG2 Scholars for Success 2007-2013

“…8 With respect to underrepresented minorities, both low recruitment and retention are barriers to increasing the number of gradutes. 10 Among students who have financial need, a key retention component is providing non-loan based awards that are correlated with higher persistence rates 7 . Additionally, retention of engineering students is shown to improve with programs that engage the students beginning with the first year [11][12][13][14][15][16] .…”