Success Expectations of Low-income Academically Talented Students in Engineering: A Preliminary Study at a Hispanic-serving Institution

Abstract

Dr. Santiago has over 20 years of experience in academia and has been successful obtaining funding and publishing for various research projects. She's also the founder and advisor of the first ASEE student chapter in Puerto Rico. Her primary research interests include investigating students' understanding of difficult concepts in engineering sciences, especially for underrepresented populations. She also works in the development and evaluation of various engineering curriculum and courses at UPRM applying the outcome-based educational framework.

Boosting Study Program Awareness via a Structured Introductory Experience to Engineering

“…Background interventions were aimed at outlining socio-demographic and family variables identified to affect students' self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations [11]. The next intervention area, the belonging phase, developed in students a professional identity and sense of belonging to their selected study program [12].…”

Board 356: Perspectives from an Intervention Model to Improve Retention and Success Among Low-income Hispanic Engineering Students

“…Six specific areas of knowledge impacted so far by PEARLS include: i. A better understanding of the success expectations of Hispanic LIATS as they begin college life [12]. This knowledge helps devise effective intervention strategies to boost students' self-efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations as they begin to navigate their path to graduation.…”

“…v. A way of inserting a successful faculty mentoring strategy for Hispanic LIATS able to complement the guidance provided by traditional academic counseling offered in most study programs [16]. This strategy enabled a new dimension in the individualized treatment of LIATS, introducing community-building elements between students and faculty with mutually beneficial outcomes.…”