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ViewAttendees 10

Education Session

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB)

Community College Voices: Let's Talk Inclusion and Belonging in SWE

Thursday, October 24, 2024
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM CT
Location: MPCCW - 471 A
SWE’s support of community college participation has grown in recent years, particularly through its launch of the Community Colleges AG and Community College Affiliate Support and Expansion (CCASE) Program. While these initiatives have had success, there remain blurred obstacles to robust community college participation. How are SWE efforts to include community college students working? Are SWE and community college women a good fit? If not, how do we improve the paradigm to promote inclusion?

This panel of community college students and alumna will address this in a discussion about their sense of belonging in SWE. Stigma and bias will be addressed, as will specifics like scholarship eligibility and industry opportunities. All viewpoints will be examined to foster honest discussion.

This topic addresses DEI&B in engineering as community college women are disproportionately women of color, first-generation, and socioeconomically disadvantaged. Anyone interested in broadening participation and promoting inclusive environments is welcome!

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe the community college point of view and recognize that addressing challenges that stymie community college participation is essential for DEI&B.
  • Explain the unique challenges facing community college students that prevent SWE engagement and develop strategies to improve meaningful participation.
  • Create a culture of inclusion and belonging that improves the SWE experience for women on community college engineering pathways.