Navigating Industry, Shaping Identity: Latina Engineering Students’ Cultural Capital in Work-Integrated Learning Experiences

• In Event: Latiné/x Students: Experiences, Growth, and Servingness Across Contexts

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences of 12 Latina engineering students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Using Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework, the study examines how students navigated internships and co-op placements by drawing on bilingualism, familial values, and cultural knowledge to succeed in white, male-dominated industry settings. Participants engaged in strategic cultural negotiation, navigated complex mentorship dynamics, and brought workplace insights back to campus to support peers and critique institutional gaps. Findings underscore Latina students’ agency as knowledge-holders and leaders and highlight the emotional labor, cultural capital, and structural barriers they manage. Their reflections offer insights for designing more intentional and culturally responsive structures to support Latina students’ professional growth in engineering.

Author

• Alice Eunjung Lee, University of Texas - El Paso