2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

WIP: Assessing Student and Community Outcomes of Campus-to-Community Digital Equity Initiatives: An Evidence Mapping Study (2010–2025)

Campus-anchored partnerships are increasingly deploying digital-equity bundles that integrate devices, affordable broadband, digital skills training, navigator support, and, in some cases, privacy-ready spaces or telehealth portals. Although these initiatives are widespread, the existing evidence base remains fragmented and outcome measures inconsistent. This work-in-progress study develops an evidence map of campus-to-community digital-equity initiatives implemented between 2010 and 2025, with a particular focus on Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)—including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)—and their surrounding anchor communities.

Peer-reviewed and gray literature will be systematically reviewed using dual-screening procedures. Each record will be coded for bundle components, population and setting, study design, follow-up duration, cost reporting, and equity-related disaggregation. Outcomes will be grouped into five domains: adoption and activation (such as portal enrollment and device uptake), engagement and persistence (continued use of digital platforms and services), proficiency (digital skills and self-efficacy measures), academic performance (course completion rates, GPA, and student retention), and health-service utilization (telehealth session completion and modality preferences).

Visual heatmaps and a narrative synthesis will be used to identify the most frequently paired components, clusters of outcome evidence, and gaps in research design rigor. Preliminary findings suggest that bundles integrating devices, connectivity, and digital-skills training are the most common configurations. Initiatives that include navigator support and trusted community spaces tend to achieve higher activation and sustained engagement, while academic outcomes and cost-effectiveness remain insufficiently measured.

The resulting evidence map will provide a shared measurement framework, a library of standardized indicators, and adaptable study designs—including stepped-wedge and matched difference-in-differences models—to support institutions in translating digital access into measurable student and community outcomes. The findings will guide future policy, investment, and program design aimed at advancing long-term digital inclusion across HBCUs and their surrounding communities.

Authors

Oluwafemi Samuel Ifesanmi Morgan State University [biography]

Oluwafemi Samuel Ifesanmi is a passionate graduate researcher, and social impact advocate. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and Resource Management and is currently pursuing his M.Sc. in Advanced Computing at Morgan State University. His background covers software development, data analytics, AI applications, environmental sustainability and intelligent computing, and this fusion is at the heart of his current research: Smart AI-Based Waste Bin Monitoring and Collection Optimization. The project leverages AI and IoT to create efficient, sustainable urban waste management systems.
Alice Oluwarantimi Adeluola http://orcid.org/0009-0009-2885-9400 Morgan State University
Julius Ogaga Etuke http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2710-2803 Morgan State University [biography]

Julius Ogaga Etuke is a seasoned civil engineer and Ph.D. Candidate in Civil Engineering at Morgan State University, where his research focuses on sustainable and resilient infrastructure engineering. With over 15 years of consulting and project leadership experience, primarily in Nigeria's infrastructure landscape, he brings a robust, practical perspective to academic inquiry. His doctoral research is at the cutting edge of transportation resilience, integrating virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), climate adaptation modeling, and data-driven solutions to improve disaster preparedness and risk mitigation in complex transportation systems. As a COREN-registered engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, his work emphasizes impactful research and consultancy that bridges structural design principles with urgent sustainability and resilience challenges.
Dr. Oludare Adegbola Owolabi P.E. Morgan State University [biography]

Dr. Oludare Owolabi, a professional engineer in Maryland, joined the Morgan State University faculty in 2010. He is the director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation and Resilient Engineering Research Lab, Department of Civil Engineering at Morgan State University
Dr. Uttam Gaulee http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3010-2812
Dr. Olushola V. Emiola-Owolabi http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-8521-5769 Morgan State University [biography]

Olushola Emiola-Owolabi is an engineering pedagogy specialist, researching active learning in engineering classrooms and specializing in qualitative methods research on teaching and learning – particularly in remote synchronous learning environments.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026