Exploring the impact of social interactions and representation on the development of engineering students' sense of belonging in a summer program.

Research has shown that engineering students from underrepresented minority (URM) populations experience significant retention gaps compared to their majority peers (Dickerson et al., 2014). One factor that can significantly promote academic success, retention, persistence, and psychological adjustment is a sense of belonging (Hausmann et al., 2007; Hoffman et al., 2002). There is evidence showing that Summer Bridge Programs (SBPs) can foster students’ sense of belonging (Strayhorn, 2019); however, little is known about the mechanisms through which an SBP impacts URM engineering students’ sense of belonging. This study addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the impact of the Brown Forman Engineering Academy (BFEA), a SBP at the University of Louisville, on the development of first-year URM and underprepared engineering students’ sense of belonging. This mixed methods study consisted of multiple-choice and open-ended survey questions which tracked students’ belonging within the BFEA and the broader engineering community and the influence of peer and faculty interactions and representation at four timepoints: Pre-BFEA, Post-BFEA, Beginning-Fall semester, and End-Fall semester. Previously published work at the same institution on the SBP indicated that students who participated in the SBP had an equivalent average sense of belonging to those who didn't participate in the program at the beginning of the first semester (Martinez & Bego., 2024). However, it was unknown whether (1) the program had no impact, or (2) SBP URM students started the SBP with a lower sense of belonging than others in their cohort, and there was a significant improvement during the program. The current study answered the following research questions (RQ): RQ1: How do students’ sense of belonging in engineering change over time, during and after participation in a summer bridge program? RQ2: How do (a) peer interactions and (b) faculty interactions influence students' sense of belonging in the summer bridge program and during their first semester in college? RQ3: How does representation, sharing similar social identities, with peers, mentors, and faculty, influence students’ sense of belonging? Quantitative analyses revealed a significant increase in belonging in the BFEA and the broader engineering community over time, with significant improvement observed during the BFEA program. There were several significant correlations between peer interactions, faculty interactions, representation, and belonging at key time points. Qualitative data further supported the quantitative findings, highlighting how authentic relationships, perceived safety and support, peer investment, social inclusion, and meaningful faculty interactions fostered a sustained sense of belonging in the fall semester. These results underscore the critical role of social interactions in SBPs in cultivate inclusive environments that significantly enhance URM students' development of a sense of belonging.