Search for: All records

This paper discusses creating and establishing an engineering mentorship program for high school students from Austin Title I public schools supported by NSF grant EEC-2217741. This program aims to provide high school students of underrepresented backgrounds exposure to engineering fields, the necessary support to navigate financial and accessibility obstacles posed by the college application process, and a role model and mentor. Typically, students from lower- income high schools do not receive the resources to be familiar with engineering areas and careers, nor the college application process, so this program aims to address these gaps. The goal is that students who participate in this program feel encouraged and confident to apply to engineering programs, resulting in increased applications and potential enrollment of students from low-income high schools. In this program, student mentors (current undergraduate engineering students) are responsible for helping second-year high school students find an engineering major based on their interests, discussing the college application process at a fundamental level, and connecting the student with various financial and academic resources. Weekly mentoring sessions are held over Zoom during the students’ school day in compliance with school district and university regulations. The program lasted five weeks, covering topics such as an overview of the University of Texas’ engineering program, the different engineering fields and careers, a thorough overview of the application process, and financial aid. This project was evaluated with an anonymous survey administered to the high school students after the completion of the program to gauge engagement, whether they felt the program was beneficial, and interest levels in engineering, all of which helped determine the program's effectiveness.