2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Impact of an Industrial Internship on Construction Students’ Sense of Belonging

Presented at Student Engagement in Construction Education

All students in the Department of _____ at _____ University take an internship as a part of their degree program. The internship is a 400-hour work experience wherein the students learn more about their chosen field, as well as the practical applications of their course work. As a part of their internship class, students and their supervisors complete surveys at the start, mid-point, and conclusion of the internship contributing both qualitative and quantitative data. Further, the research team embedded Cohen and Watson’s Social Fit instrument into the pre- and post-internship survey to measure the impact of this industrial work experience on the students’ sense of belonging to their construction majors. This paper reports the change of students’ sense of belonging of this study.

Authors

Dr. Kimberly Grau Talley P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6235-0706 Texas State University [biography]

Dr. Kimberly G. Talley, P.E. is an associate professor in the Department of Engineering Technology, PERSIST (Promoting the Engagement and Recruitment of Students In STEM) Lab Director at Texas State University, and a licensed Professional Engineer. She received her Ph.D. and M.S.E. from the University of Texas at Austin in Structural Engineering. Her undergraduate degrees in History and in Construction Engineering and Management are from North Carolina State University. Dr. Talley teaches courses in the Construction Science and Management and Civil Engineering Technology Programs, and her research focus is in student engagement and retention in engineering and engineering technology education. Contact: talley@txstate.edu
Dr. Bobbi J. Spencer Texas State University [biography]

B.J. Spencer, Ph.D.

Dr. Spencer is an Assistant of Professor of Practice and the Construction Science and Management (CSM) Program Coordinator in the Department of Engineering Technology at Texas State University where she focuses on the architectural courses, VDCO, and is the internship coordinator. In 2017, she obtained her Ph.D. in Education from Texas State University with the emphasis on professional education. A registered Architect in the State of Texas, she received a Master of Architecture from Texas A&M University in 2007 where she participated in a study abroad semester at the Universita della Svizzera italiana, Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, Switzerland following 23 years of industry experience in architecture and construction.

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