Programs to Increase K-12 Interest in STEM Careers

Wichita State University (WSU) is an urban-serving institution located in Wichita, Kansas. Approximately 24% of Wichita’s population is from underrepresented minorities. WSU’s College of Engineering (CoE) is well known and well respected within the community and has strong undergraduate and graduate programs, collaborations with industry and a respected research program; however, underrepresented students currently account for only 9% of enrollment in the CoE. Thirty-six percent of those students drop out of engineering before completing their degree. In an effort to increase the participation of minority students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, the CoE implemented programs to stimulate students’ interest in STEM careers at an early age. These programs include LEGO Robotics at the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of South Central Kansas, which targets upper elementary and middle school students who learn to build and program robots while being mentored by WSU engineering students; engineering summer camps for upper elementary to high school students including STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering Professions), Bioengineering, LEGO Robotics, and GameMaker camps; and a program called Changing Faces that invites groups of students to visit the CoE where they participate in lab tours and hands-on activities, and interact with CoE faculty and students. Students at the BGC were given pre and post surveys that measured attitudes towards math, science, and engineering. However, because of the transient nature of students attending, it was difficult to compare survey results. The summer camps administered pre and post surveys that measured students’ perception of their learning in math, science, and engineering, and their interest in participating in similar camps. The results showed positive means in all categories. Students who participated in Changing Faces where given follow-up surveys to measure their change of interest in pursuing a career in engineering. Sixty-eight percent showed an increased interest. Findings suggest that students’ interest and/or knowledge in engineering increased after participating in one of the programs implemented by WSU’s College of Engineering. Future surveys will be consistent across the three programs to measure students’ attitudes and interest toward STEM careers, and their interest in engineering at WSU.