2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This work-in-progress research paper investigates the trait differences of individuals supporting engineering students. This paper is part of a larger study investigating the intersectional inequalities engineering students face and how barriers to their participation are mitigated through the help of their chosen families. “Chosen family” is a term used to describe the families students choose as opposed to the families they are born with (traditional family). Emerging literature suggests that students, especially those who are from (multi)marginalized groups, seek out chosen families to obtain resources that they are unable to access otherwise, leading students to greater success in college. Our work has identified chosen family as individuals outside of the person’s traditional family with individual or organizational power who use that power to genuinely, and empathetically, support and uplift the person leading to stronger feelings of belonging. A crucial component of our definition, the use of power, has led us to explore the strength of one’s power usage in supporting students. Literature refers to these individuals amongst two categories: “allies” and “accomplices.” Here, allies provide support and attempt to empathize with one’s situation. Meanwhile, accomplices go out of their way, putting themselves in intellectual, social, or even physical danger to provide support and actively uplifts. We theorize that many of the chosen family members in our work act as accomplices to students to help them succeed in engineering and daily life.

Building upon previous work, we utilize the results from a pilot survey administered to mid-Atlantic engineering students to investigate our hypothesis. In our original survey, we identified who students saw as part of their families, and to what degree via a series of social justice-oriented traits that we linked to our definitions of allies and accomplices. Through regression, we aim, in the present study, to understand the trait differences students identify between chosen and traditional families. Understanding engineering students’ support systems and the traits of the people whom they identify as making a difference could lead to university initiatives that may lead to increased student retention and performance.