Taking the Next Step to Engineering Careers: Career-Related Activities, Value, and Belonging

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 1
  In Poster Session: Division J Poster Session: College Student Success

Abstract

Many students enter undergraduate engineering programs for the employment opportunities after graduation. Thus, engagement in career-related activities may support engineering persistence. The current study investigated the relation of career fair participation to persistence outcomes and considered whether enhanced value for and belonging to engineering mediated this relation. Career fair participation was associated with obtaining an internship but unrelated to other persistence outcomes. Additionally, initial levels of attainment value and belonging were associated with career fair participation, but career fair participation was unrelated to changes in value and belonging or persistence outcomes when controlling for initial levels of value and belonging. Implications of the findings for supporting students’ persistence in engineering are discussed.

Authors

• S. Patrick Walton, Michigan State University

• Amalia Krystal Lira, Michigan State University

• Alexandra Lee, Michigan State University

• Harrison Douglas Lawson, Michigan State University

• Emily Freer, Michigan State University

• Daina Briedis, Michigan State University

• Lisa Linnenbrink-Garcia, Michigan State University