When a person feels welcomed and believes that he/she can achieve and be successful he/she will generally do well. Women in general, but especially women of color need to feel welcomed in engineering particularly because it is dominated by white males. A person will more than likely succeed and persist when they have access to mentors and role models and are able to connect and form bonds with other successful people. If more women felted welcomed and appreciated by faculty and teachers (male and female) and had role models to encourage and push them, then women could potentially have more success in the engineering field. Early lack of participation in formal peer
networks, like underrepresented academic student organizations, can shape a
student’s sense of community.
Feelings of difference in an environment can cause students to lack a sense of belonging; some students find difficulty in forming and participating in study groups because of their racial or ethnic difference. Students also desire a support group, both academically and socially, as they persist through engineering.
Feelings of difference in an environment can cause students to lack a sense of belonging; some students find difficulty in forming and participating in study groups because of their racial or ethnic difference. Students also desire a support group, both academically and socially, as they persist through engineering.