Date of Award
8-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Engineering and Science Education
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Lisa Benson
Committee Member
Dr. Natasha Croom
Committee Member
Dr. Eliza Gallagher
Committee Member
Dr. James Holly Jr.
Committee Member
Dr. Matthew Voigt
Abstract
Engineering programs at historically White institutions (HWIs) often perpetuate stereotypes and racism against Black students, impacting their experiences and opportunities in the field. Minority engineering programs (MEPs) provide support and resources to minority students in engineering, challenging stereotypes and fostering positive identity development. MEPs push back on cultural norms by rejecting the stereotypical narrative of what it means to be Black in engineering. Despite their significance, MEPs face challenges in garnering institutional support and recognition within engineering departments. It is imperative to understand what institutional support for MEPs looks like to mitigate barriers identified in the literature. To address these barriers and promote equity, this dissertation study explored the impacts of racism on the alignment between the perceived value of MEPs, institutional commitment, and MEPs' designated structures with the following overarching and sub-research questions:
To what extent are the perceived value of MEPs, the institutional commitment towards MEPs, and the designated structure of MEPs aligned?
(1) What are the university-level and college-level stakeholders' perceptions of the MEP's role(s), mission, and value?
(2) To what extent do the university and college of engineering demonstrate commitment to fulfilling the role(s) and achieving the mission of the MEP?
(3) To what extent are perceptions and commitments enacted through MEP's
organizational and programmatic structures?
A qualitative, in-depth single-case study was conducted at Bravo University, a historically white institution (HWI), to explore institutional support for PEACE, its MEP. Through a three phase qualitative analysis and the interpretive lens of the theory of racialized organizations, the study found that while PEACE benefits students, it also exposes a new form of racial inequality within the College of Engineering (COE). This inequality persists by maintaining the exclusionary culture of HWIs like Bravo, thereby limiting the impact of PEACE on racially and gender-marginalized students. Despite PEACE's efforts, structural barriers and exclusionary practices at Bravo, such as strict financial and admissions criteria, hinder significant increases in the enrollment of these target students. The COE's reliance on PEACE to provide positive experiences for racially and gender-marginalized students, without embedding these values into the broader institutional culture, creates a "separate but equal" approach, reinforcing the grounding racial ideology of education in America. Furthermore, the study highlights how the political climate negatively affects diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, leading to the rebranding of PEACE as an inclusive program for all students. This shift undermines PEACE's mission and the safe spaces it created for racially and gender-marginalized students and takes a meritocratic, color-blind approach to student support. Ultimately, the study illustrates how racism manifests through the support structures of an MEP at an HWI. The findings have significant implications for the practice and research of implementing and supporting student support programs in higher education institutions.
Recommended Citation
Damas, Stephanie, "Investigating Institutional Support for a Minority Engineering Program at a Historically White Institution" (2024). All Dissertations. 3667.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3667
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5397-7577