ABSTRACT
The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) undertook a study of success factors for minorities in engineering that was conducted in three phases. Institutional analysis showed that many of the differences reported in the literature appear due to the significantly lower average test scores of minority students. However, among students with roughly similar test scores, minority student performance rivaled that of non-minority counterparts in math grades, engineering grades, and graduation rates. Also, there appear to be multiple pathways available for engineering institutions seeking to be leaders in engineering retention. Focus group interviews were conducted with involved students. Analysis of their mini-survey responses showed that “success” was associated with exposure to the work of engineering—as in problem- or project-based courses, research, and industry internships. The survey study showed the most important factors in success were universal: higher test scores, academic management skills, and participation in industry internships. In engineering, there is no substitute for strong academic skill sets, but interest and success can be ignited by exposure to engineering itself—in project-based courses, research, and particularly industry internships. Effective schools make the most use of MEP programming.
