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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the educational experiences of economically disadvantaged women in an elite undergraduate engineering program. The four women who participated were scholars in the Georgia Tech Promise Program at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Three research questions formed the basis for this study. What are the educational experiences of economically disadvantaged women enrolled in the Georgia Tech Promise Program? What factors led Tech Promise Scholars to pursue an engineering program of study? What expectations do Tech Promise Scholars hold upon completion of an engineering program of study? An interpretative qualitative research design was used to describe, understand, and interpret the experiences of four women in the Georgia Tech Promise Program. Qualitative data collection consisted of in-depth interviews and documents. The holistic content method and coding were used to analyze the data. All participants took advantage of dual credit opportunities while still in high school. Georgia Tech Promise Scholars took advantage of college credit programs that exposed them to college culture and permitted them to acquire college credit prior to enrollment at Georgia Tech. Financial resources offered to each participant through the Georgia Tech Promise Scholarship Program served as a critical criterion in their decisions to attend Georgia Tech. Scholars also selected Georgia Tech because their parents encouraged them to limit their career pursuits to doctor, lawyer, or engineer. Therefore, participants career options were circumscribed in their formative years. To ensure future success, the participants parents provided abundant opportunities to engage in science and math at an early age. Georgia Tech Promise participants were made aware of their economic disadvantage by their parents. Georgia Tech scholars intentionally utilized engineering as a pathway to prosperity. To ensure successful completion of an engineering program of study, scholars deliberately developed rich and relevant relationships with instructors and high-achieving peers. In addition to cultivating positive relationships, each scholar exhibited a growth-mindset. Tech Promise participants understood that their level of achievement was not fixed. Learning from peers, working hard, and developing new ways to solve problems enhanced their cognitive abilities. Results of this study may help educators, policy makers, and members of the business community identify barriers to reduce financial and social burdens for economically disadvantaged women in college. Results may also be used to understand influence factors that contribute to the success of underserved women in engineering programs of study.