Finding Community: Professional Organizations as Counter-Spaces for Supporting Black Women Engineering Graduate Students

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Gender, Race, and Ethnicity Issues in Graduate Education

Abstract

This narrative based paper explores the experiences of Black women engineering students transitioning from undergraduate to graduate programs as impacted by the institutional profile of their origin institution. More specifically, this work seeks to examine the differences in experiences when students move from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) compared to transitioning from one PWI to another PWI.
Participation in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and/or membership in one of the Black Greek-Letter Organizations (BGLOs) may contribute to the success of Black women engineering graduate students. These narratives will help identify and draw awareness to the way in which these organizations provide support as they transition academic levels.

Authors

• Katreena Thomas, Arizona State University

• Elyse Okwu, University of Pittsburgh

• Brooke Coley, Arizona State University