The Added Value of Black Engineering Students’ Participation in Identity-based Organizations: A Systematic Literature Review

Background: Black students are an integral part of engineering education. However, despite millions of investments in broadening participation in engineering, they remain underrepresented in engineering. Literature shows that Black students face a variety of obstacles, but involvement in identity-based professional organizations (such as the National Society of Black Engineers and Black Greek Lettered Organizations) promotes persistence and academic success in engineering. There is a need to coalesce and synthesize the existing literature on the added value of Black engineering students’ participation in identity-based organizations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to synthesize existing scholarship on how Black engineering students’ participation in identity-based organizations influences their academic and professional outcomes.

Scope/Method: A systematic literature review methodology and thematic analysis was used to identify and synthesize findings from existing scholarship. Out of the 442 articles that were retrieved via database searches, 21 articles met all eligibility criteria after two rounds of screening.

Results: There are four main outcomes of Black students’ participation in identity-based engineering organizations and programs: self-efficacy; a sense of belonging and community; various knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs); and professional success. The programming factors that facilitated these outcomes include: access to mentors and role models, attending social and professional development events, and active engagement in the organization and program.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that there are many benefits of identity-based professional societies and programs for Black students in engineering. Awareness of these outcomes and programming decisions has implications for researchers doing broadening participation work and practitioners overseeing these programs, which can help in increasing the number of Black engineers in higher education and the workforce.