2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri catalyzed the Black Lives Matter movement, underscoring the need for students to explore how privilege and systemic injustice have physically, racially, and economically impacted communities. Many undergraduate students are unaware of local disparities and develop cognitive dissonance: engrossed in academic routines, they lose sight of the real-world implications of their studies. Therefore, exposing students to the local community and illustrating their role in societal change is paramount to enriching their sense of ethical responsibility, equity, and diversity. Engineers in the Community, created in 2016, was an immersive spring break course that exposed undergraduate biomedical, chemical, environmental, electrical, and mechanical engineering students to systemic problems in St. Louis, showcasing how their engineering skills apply to these challenges with inspiration from speakers who embodied leadership and explored themes of ethics and (in)equity. However, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift from this community-connected approach to a semester-long project-based model where students collaborated with local partners advocating for equity, ethics, or environmental improvement. As in-person instruction resumed, we integrated the immersive spring break experience with the semester-long community-partnered project, creating a community-engaged course that builds student empathy for diverse peoples through interaction with community partners. The projects mutually benefit students and partners, help address systemic inequities, and foster ethical mindsets. Drawing from seven years of community partnership experiences, we’ve developed a practical framework for sustainable community engagement. We'll delve into the nuances of community collaboration, including challenges, strategies for fostering long-term relationships, and methods to prevent partner burnout. It is easy for students to get comfortable in their campus “bubbles”—we have a responsibility as educators to inspire students to see beyond their immediate environment, to encourage students to creatively apply their engineering skills to real-world problems, and to promote cultural competency and equity building.