Belongingness Uncertainty: A Comparative Study of African American Engineering Students' Experiences at a Predominantly White Institution and a Historically Black University

• In Event: 45.034 - STEM at the Intersections: Navigating STEM Fields From Minoritized Positionalities

Abstract

The study examines institutional and professional belongingness as it relates to the perceived interpersonal, instructional, and institutional opportunity structures available for African-American (AfA) engineering students at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI), and a Historically Black University (HBCU) within the Phenomenological Ecological Systems theory (PVEST). A stratified random sample of 65 AfA students (79% male) participated in 11 focus group interviews. Phenomenological analyses of students’ responses to open-ended questions revealed that HBCU students experienced a stronger sense of institutional belonging than PWI students. Students from both institutions discussed opportunities and obstacles to embrace a “Black Engineer” identity. HBCU students unlike their PWI counterparts, reported faculty mentoring designed to enhance professional belongingness. The significance of these findings for engineering institutions are discussed.

Authors

• Revathy Kumar, University of Toledo

• Lesley Berhan, University of Toledo

• Willie Mckether

• Aaron Adams, Alabama A&M University