The Interplay Between a Summer Engineering Camp's Racial Composition and Program Outcomes

• In Event: Racial and Cultural Identity Development Through Out-of-School Time Programs

Abstract

In order to diversify the STEM workforce, efforts to broaden participation have been made to
capture children’s interest through out-of-school activities. There is a need to understand how
interest is captured in underrepresented minorities and how these initiatives impact engineering
identity and perceptions of engineering. Most studies on diversifying STEM, are centered on the
racial differences among individuals from minoritized populations in a predominantly white
learning environment. This paper will examine the changes in engineering identity and
perceptions of engineering differences among Black children and children from other races in a
predominantly black learning environment. A guiding framework in this study will be the
conceptualization of other racial groups as temporary minorities within a summer
camp predominantly serving Black children.

Authors

• Natali Huggins, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Taylor Lightner, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• David Knight, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Walter Lee