Examining Black Students’ and Mentors’ Experiences in a Summer Engineering Experience for Kids Program

Fletcher, T., Alharbi, A., Qasim, M., Hooper, K., & Collins, E. (2025). Examining Black Students’ and Mentors’ Experiences in a Summer Engineering Experience for Kids Program. Journal for STEM Education Research, 1-25.

Introduction

The underrepresentation of Black students in STEM fields has long been a concern in education and workforce development. Addressing this gap requires early intervention and targeted mentoring programs. Fletcher and colleagues (2024) explore the experiences of students and mentors within the Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) program, an initiative by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). The SEEK program was designed to address these disparities by providing hands-on STEM learning experiences to historically underrepresented students.

Methods and Results

Surveys were administered to 266 former SEEK students and mentors, gathering insights into their educational and professional trajectories. Their findings revealed that Black students who participated in SEEK demonstrated significantly greater interest in STEM fields compared to their White counterparts. 

Additionally, SEEK had a more profound impact on Black students’ career decisions, motivating them to pursue STEM-related higher education and careers. Gender differences were also evident: male students reported a higher likelihood of pursuing engineering careers due to SEEK, whereas female students emphasized the value of networking and mentorship opportunities. Among mentors, male participants showed a greater tendency to change their majors to STEM fields after engaging in the program, while female mentors valued the community-building aspect of their experiences.

Discussion

The study underscores the effectiveness of SEEK in fostering STEM interest among Black students, particularly in addressing racial disparities in STEM engagement. The program’s ability to influence career decisions suggests that early exposure to STEM, coupled with mentorship, can be instrumental in shaping long-term educational trajectories. The gender differences observed indicate the need for tailored interventions to support both male and female students in their unique pathways.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

• Programs should consider expanding mentorship opportunities to sustain long-term engagement beyond summer programs.
• Enhancing hands-on learning components to reinforce practical applications of STEM education.
• Using routine assessments over the course of mentoring to explore changes in interest, motivation, or self-efficacy in relation to STEM, that might help programs better understand extant gender differences

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