2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Student wellness is critical to achieving academic excellence, especially for undergraduate engineering students navigating heavy course loads and the distinct challenges of engineering culture. As a result, the well-being of engineering students is a critical concern, both for prioritizing their wellness and for improving retention in engineering. To cultivate an environment of wellness, retention, and inclusive growth, we must comprehensively understand how to prioritize and protect student well-being. True academic potential is unlocked only when foundational needs are met. Moreover, we know that students from minoritized groups face additional barriers in engineering, and we know from work in engineering design that designing to those on the “margins” results in better solutions for everyone. A preliminary analysis for the larger data set of 21 students found that students felt that professors and their peer community had a significant impact on their overall well-being and feelings of inclusion (removed for review, 2023). This study investigates the experiences of 10 mechanical engineering students at a research-intensive, land-grant university in the mid-west. Specifically, we investigate the following research question: According to mechanical engineering undergraduate students who hold at least one minoritized identity, how do professors and their peer community impact their overall well-being and feelings of inclusion? We use semi-structured, hour-long interviews and thematic analysis to answer this question. By investigating the impact of professors and peer community on mechanical engineering undergraduate students, we can understand how to build an environment that is inclusive and fosters student wellness. Moreover, by identifying the beneficial elements of these academic relationships, we are provided with exemplary practices which can be applied across other disciplines. With this comprehensive understanding, we aim to sculpt an educational environment that is inclusive and nurtures well-being.