Diversifying the Advanced Engineering Workforce: Why Low-Income Students Pursue Master's Degrees

• In Event: All About the Benjamins: Labor Market Realities and Reflections

Abstract

For the last twenty years, U.S. higher education and industry have made concerted efforts both to increase professional graduate education and diversity and equity in engineering. Programs to recruit and support URM students pursuit and attainment of advanced degrees in engineering are one way for higher education and funders to “Cultivat(e) Equitable Education Systems for the 21st Century.” Within this context, the NSF-funded, Pitt-SSoE's Graduate Engineering Education Scholarship (GEES) program aims to increase MS degree enrollment and completion by low-income, high-achieving undergraduates in the engineering field. The purpose of this study is to explore how the GEES program creates access to MS degrees through scholarships, and prepares students for professional careers.

Authors

• Keith W. Trahan, University of Pittsburgh

• Shengjun Yin, University of Pittsburgh

• Sylvanus Wosu, University of Pittsburgh

• Tagbo Niepa, University of Pittsburgh