2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Leveraging Familia: Equipando Padres Program Pilot for Hispanic Parents and Caregivers of First-Generation-to-College Engineering Students

Presented at Advancing Equity in Engineering Education

The Equipando Padres (Equipping Parents) program was designed to address a significant gap in parent programming by providing specialized support for a unique demographic - Hispanic parents of first-generation college engineering students who lack prior college experience. While a variety of parent programs exist, none were tailored to meet the specific needs of this underserved group at the intersection of cultural relevance, first-generation status, and the field of engineering. The pilot’s objective was to equip Hispanic parents with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively support their children pursuing engineering degrees.

Conducted during the Spring of 2023, the pilot program included four in-person locations and one virtual delivery. A half-day of carefully designed activities was dedicated to imparting crucial insights into supporting the students as they transition to college. Specifically, the pilot targeted parents of high school juniors and seniors and delved into three important topics – "Why College," "How to Choose a College," and "How to Prepare for College Visits."
A rigorous evaluation process was utilized, incorporating surveys and focus groups, to measure the program's impact. The results demonstrated a tangible increase in parents' college knowledge, self-efficacy, and confidence in their ability to guide their children through the challenging journey of earning an engineering degree.

This paper offers a comprehensive exploration of the Equipando Padres program, covering its design, implementation, and the outcomes achieved in the pilot. Additionally, it outlines the planned evolution of the program, highlighting the vital role it plays in bridging the gap by equipping a historically underrepresented group of parents to provide effective support as their children pursue engineering degrees.

Authors

Dr. Dayna Lee Martínez Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Inc. [biography]

Dayna is a Senior Director of Research & Impact at the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), where she leads a team of professionals who specialize in data-driven design and implementation of programs and services to empower pre-college students, parents, graduate students, and faculty members in STEM fields, with a particular focus on advancing Hispanic representation and success. With over 15 years of experience in creating data collection tools, analysis methodologies, and effectively presenting results, she dedicates herself to promoting Hispanic excellence in STEM.

She joined SHPE's staff in 2021, after serving as a faculty member at Northeastern University and a post-doctoral fellow at the James A. Hailey Veterans Hospital and the HSyE Institute. Holding a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of South Florida and a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University, Dayna is deeply passionate about increasing Hispanic representation and success in STEM. Leveraging her analytical skills and data-driven approach, she is committed to creating and evaluating impactful programs and services for the Hispanic STEM community.
Liliana González Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Inc. [biography]

Liliana is dedicated to collaborating with families through education and opportunity. As a program manager at SHPE, she leads transformative initiatives aimed at equipping families of first-generation college students with the essential knowledge and tools to support their children's STEM journey. Liliana specializes in program design, implementation, and scaling, with a focus on operationalizing initiatives and facilitating engaging sessions and events.

She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Texas - Permian Basin and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Houston. Her professional journey includes extensive experience in K-12 support services and fostering collaborative partnerships across sectors.

Passionate about lifelong learning and creating pathways to success, Liliana was honored to be a member of the 2022 cohort of the Aspiring Latino Leaders Fellowship, a program that empowers Latino education leaders to advance their leadership journey and amplify their impact in the education sector.

Liliana is based out of Houston, and currently serves as a board member within the University of Houston Hispanic Alumni Network and on the City of Seabrook Ethics Review Committee.
Dr. Kimberly D Douglas P.E. Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Inc. [biography]

Over 25 years of experience as an engineering educator and administrator developing and funding programs for increasing the persistence and degree completion rates of STEM students. Particular expertise in creating mutually beneficial partnerships and pro
Andrea D. Beattie Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Inc. [biography]

Andrea D. Beattie is a graduate from Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in Political Science in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Currently she serves as Manager, Research and Innovation at SHPE. In this role, she assists the organization with research, program evaluation, and data analytics.
Ms. Esther Gonzalez [biography]

Esther González is a PhD candidate in the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California (USC). Her research domains are organization behavior and diversity management. Her research is multidisciplinary and applies methods and fields in public policy, management, political science, and sociology.
Upon completion of her Bachelors of Arts degree in International Development Studies at UCLA, she began a successful career in banking and finance at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch. She has completed various post baccalaureate certifications through UCLA Anderson and the Harvard Business School; most recently, she completed her MPA at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and MBA at Cornell Tech.
She has published in multiple academic journals including ASEE, ROPPA, and APPAM. Additionally, her scholarly work has been featured in Forbes magazine. She believes that research can inform diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies and programs to one day have a workforce that is representative of the society it aims to serve.

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