One response to calls for broadening participation in engineering was the establishment of minority engineering programs (MEPs). Since their inception, MEPs have taken many forms with various functions and can be classified as engineering student support centers (ESSCs). Some ESSCs can be considered race-conscious, meaning they specifically focus on race/ethnicity in their support of engineering students. Prior literature points to race-conscious ESSCs as integral to the recruitment and retention of minoritized students in engineering. Despite their importance, race-conscious ESSCs have been met with various direct and indirect barriers threatening their organization's survival. To understand how race-conscious ESSCs have survived given consistent challenges, I conducted a multiple case study focused on exploring race-conscious ESSCs through the lens of organizational resilience. In this study, I interviewed founding and current directors, with a cumulation of 70+ years of experience, of three race-conscious ESSCs at large, public, predominately-white, R1 institutions.
The findings from this study provide insight into the types of events, actions, and outcomes that inform the forms and functions of race-conscious ESSCs. I identified six types of events and four types of developments that were salient in leaders' descriptions of their ESSC's history. When considering the relationship between events and developments, some event types only occurred in connection with one type of development while others were in connection with two or more types of developments. This study aims to be a historical documentation of race-conscious ESSCs and events they have endured to remain a resource to racially minoritized engineering students. Additionally, this study contributes to the holistic understanding of ESSCs by using Kantur and Íserí-Say's Integrated Framework of Organizational Resilience as a tool for identifying the factors that enable these organizations to be resilient amid disruption. Lastly, this study adds to efforts calling for policy-makers, researchers, and practitioners to be mindful of the tradeoffs being made by race-conscious ESSCs in the name of resiliency and the unintended consequences of these actions. / Doctor of Philosophy / Since the 1970s, there have been national calls to broaden participation in engineering. One response to these calls was the establishment of minority engineering programs (MEPs) to recruit and support Black engineering students. Over time, MEPs have changed and taken new forms that can be classified as engineering student support centers (ESSCs). Some of these organizations are race-conscious and focus on race/ethnicity in their support of engineering students. These crucial support systems for Black engineering students have encountered obstacles threatening their organization's survival. I conducted a multiple case study to understand how three race-conscious ESSCs have survived so long despite these challenges. After talking to current and founding directors of these organizations, I found six types of events and four types of developments that were salient in their descriptions of their ESSC's history. Directors most frequently discussed how funding changes and engaging with members of their communities had impact on both themselves as the director and the organization. This study contributes to our understanding of how race-conscious ESSCs remain a resource for racially minoritized engineering students. Additionally, this study calls on policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to be mindful of the tradeoffs being made by race-conscious ESSCs in order to survive and the unintended consequences of these actions.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/113252 |
| Date | 18 January 2023 |
| Creators | Holloman, Teirra Keina |
| Contributors | Engineering Education, Lee, Walter Curtis, Watford, Bevlee A., Faulkner, Brandy S., Knight, David B. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
Page generated in 0.0171 seconds