2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In this paper, we discuss the creation and establishment of an engineering mentorship program for [City] high school students from Title I public schools. The objective of this program is to provide high school students of underrepresented backgrounds exposure to engineering fields, the necessary support to navigate financial and accessibility obstacles posed by the college application process, and a role model and mentor. Typically, students from lower-income high schools do not receive the resources to be familiar with engineering areas and careers, nor the college application process, so this program aims to address these gaps. The aim is that students who participate in this program feel encouraged and confident to apply to engineering programs, resulting in increased applications and potential enrollment of students from low-income high schools.

In this program, student mentors (current undergraduate engineering students) are responsible for helping second-year high school students find an engineering major based on their interests, discussing the college application process at a fundamental level, and connecting the student with various financial and academic resources. Weekly mentoring sessions are held over Zoom during the students’ school day in compliance with school district and university regulations. The program lasts six weeks, covering topics such as an overview of the university’s engineering program, the different engineering fields and careers, a thorough overview of the application process, financial resources, and a recap and evaluation.

This project will be evaluated with an anonymous survey administered after the completion of the program to the high school students to gauge engagement, whether they felt the program was beneficial, and interest levels in engineering, all of which will help determine the program's effectiveness. (Please note that this program is currently running, and we will be able to share our results by the time the first paper draft is due.)