2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Background
The JEDI Ambassador Program fosters student advocacy through an inclusive learning community focused on research, outreach, and leadership development to transform the College of Engineering at Southern Public University (SPU), one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) in the South Eastern United States. This initiative leverages existing programmatic infrastructure to plan for more large-scale and translatable institutional transformation. Grounded in liberatory pedagogy (Freire, 1970) and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR, Cammarota & Fine, 2010), the initiative empowers students by fostering critical consciousness and active engagement while addressing systemic barriers to success.
Purpose
This poster presents the strategies, processes, and implementation of the project in the first year of its National Science Foundation (NSF) funding.
Method
The poster presents findings from multiple sources, including post-training surveys and end-of-year evaluation interviews that assess students’ perceptions and experiences of being a JEDI Ambassador. Additionally, we present reflections from the JEDI leadership team and stakeholders, which provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of programmatic practices and overall program impact.
Findings
Our findings show significant shifts in students’ understanding of their roles as advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion within their academic community. Participants reported increased confidence in their leadership abilities and a deeper understanding of the systemic barriers faced by underrepresented groups in engineering. Feedback from the JEDI leadership team indicates that programmatic practices, such as mentorship and community-building activities, have fostered expansions in their agency and a sense of belonging and engagement among ambassadors.
Implications
The insights gained from this first year highlight the potential for the JEDI Ambassador Program to serve as a model for institutional transformation in engineering education. By leveraging the voices and experiences of student ambassadors, the initiative aims to create a more inclusive and equitable academic environment that benefits students and enhances the broader institutional culture. Future efforts will focus on refining strategies based on stakeholder feedback and expanding outreach to ensure the sustainability and impact of the program.