Conference Proceedings 2024 Canadian Engineering Education Association-Association canadienne de l'éducation en génie

BUILDING ENGINEERING IDENTITY THROUGH MENTORSHIP

VISION BOARDS
Andrea Jonahs, Adama Olumo
University of Waterloo
ajonahs@[Link]
ayolumo@[Link]

underrepresented groups choose not to enter certain STEM

Abstract –Research on science identity, a framework fields, and why they leave once they are “in the pipeline,” are
outlining key dimensions that shape one’s sense of being complex and multifaceted [3], [11]. While the lack of
a “science person” and thus persisting in STEM, is representation in STEM is indeed a “wicked problem” [12]
attentive to how identity is shaped, especially for those there is broad consensus that adopting an equity, diversity,
who experience oppression and exclusion in their STEM inclusion, and anti-racism (EDI-R) lens must be a priority for
learning environments and social worlds more broadly. STEM organizations, industries, workplaces, and educational
However, few practical course interventions exist for institutions [6].
bolstering science identity in the classroom. In this paper, In the STEM education literature, science identity emerges
we report on a novel intervention to build engineering as a productive framework to understand the problem of
identity in first-year students: The Mentorship Vision representation. Underpinned by EDI-R commitments, the
Board (MVB). Employing a thematic analysis, we discuss framework outlines key dimensions that shape one’s sense of
salient themes in students' written reflections about their being a “science person” and thus persisting in STEM [13].
MVB. Findings suggest that the MVB nurtures The purpose of science identity research is to ensure science
engineering identity by giving students a material and learning is not only meaningful but attentive to how identity
conceptual space to reflect on who they are and who they is shaped, especially for those who experience oppression
want to be as future engineers, underscoring the value of and exclusion in their STEM environments and social worlds
reflective writing and arts-based pedagogy in technical more broadly [11], [14]. Despite widespread agreement that
fields. building science identity is central to addressing broader EDI-
R issues in STEM, few course-based interventions are
Keywords: Science Identity, First-Year Engineering, discussed in the literature.
STEM Pedagogy, EDI-R. In this paper, we address the need for STEM instructors to
have access to more practical, flexible teaching resources that
1. INTRODUCTION build science identity by reporting on a novel intervention:
the Mentorship Vision Board (MVB). The MVB is a low-
To face the world’s most pressing and complex problems, stakes assignment that asked first-year engineering students
a diverse workforce in science, technology, engineering, and to relate aspects of their identity and values to the field of
math (STEM) is needed not solely for their technical abilities engineering by creating a vision board. By analyzing student
but also to steer innovation towards a future that is responsive reflections on their MVB, this paper seeks to qualitatively
to ethics, equity, empathy, and social justice. Despite the gauge the impact of the intervention and its ability to build
appeal of relatively secure, high paying, high demand jobs science identity, or more specific to our study, “engineering
[1], [2] efforts to diversify STEM fields show patchy, identity.” A secondary goal was to examine how the MVB
inconsistent progress [3]. Although women have made might support EDI-R commitments in the classroom.
considerable gains in areas such as the health sciences, in
math and engineering fields progress has been more muted
[1]. For those from Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ 1.1. Literature Review
communities, and other marginalized groups, growth
remains disappointing; and for those with intersecting Science identity is a productive concept that helps us
identities, the challenges may be greater still [3], [4], [5], [6], understand how one comes to develop their sense of being a
[7]. “science person” and belonging to their field [13], [15]- [17].
The popular metaphor of a “leaky pipeline” visualizes the Even at the critical stage when underrepresented students
phenomenon of losing underrepresented groups at various have joined a post-secondary STEM program, their sense of
crucial junctures, from elementary school to early career identity continues to be vulnerable when faced with
stages [8], [9]. Although the metaphor has been criticized environments that are hostile, overly competitive,
for, in part, its overly simplistic linear, one-way unwelcoming, or simply lacking in community supports and
progression model [10] the fact remains that why role models [18]-[21].
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 Conference Proceedings 2024 Canadian Engineering Education Association-Association canadienne de l'éducation en génie

Social science research on identity formation accounts for to and emulate, mentors provide guidance and support that,
how an individual’s sense of self is shaped by complex ideally, delivers both emotional and material benefits [29].
socio- cultural dynamics involving home and school life; Research suggests that underrepresented students value
structural hierarchies based on race, class, gender, and mentors that match on many levels (e.g., values, beliefs,
sexuality; and experiences with poverty, racism, sexism, and backgrounds, passions, personalities etc.) but also seek out
discrimination. Evolving from this broad theory of identity mentors that share their racial/ethnic/gender identities [27],
formation, science identity offers intersecting dimensions [28], [30], [31]. Mentors who match on identity might be
that shape one’s identity as a “science person.” Carlone and better positioned to support students through shared
Johnson describe the key dimensions as follows [13], [22]: experiences of isolation, exclusion, and diminished self-
efficacy, which are more common among marginalized
1. Competence: One’s understanding and students [32]. Apriceno et al. reason that “With higher rates
knowledge of science material of STEM attrition during the transition to college, when
2. Performance: One’s ability to do science and academic self-efficacy and sense of belonging are
demonstrate scientific knowledge particularly vulnerable, early mentorship (i.e., at the start of
3. Recognition: One’s sense of being an “science” the first year) may be the most effective strategy to retain
person, which is shaped by the symbiotic students in STEM programs, particularly unrepresented
dynamics of self-recognition and the affirming minorities” [33, p. 643].
recognition from significant others (e.g., teachers, Several studies demonstrate that engineering identity
parents) is vital for undergraduate success in STEM. Surveying
4. Interest: One’s desire and curiosity for the subject 6,772 first-year students about their likelihood of entering
a STEM field, Godwin et al. [23] found that recognition,
interest, and belief in one’s ability to make the world a
While the first two domains are crucial for acquiring the
more equitable place were positive predictors of math and
technical skills needed to succeed in STEM fields, the more
physics identities. In a cross-sectional survey of 701
affective domains of recognition and interest have salience
undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory
for underrepresented students who often face greater
engineering course, Meyers et al. [34] found that first-year
obstacles in belonging and persevering in STEM [13], [22],
students and women were less likely to identify as
[23]. Interest is a late addition by Hazari et al. [22] to the
engineers. Consequently, the researchers suggest that a
original science identity framework. They define interest
welcoming engineering community and a greater
as student’s desire or curiosity to learn the subject. Intrinsic
awareness of a student’s future work as an engineer are
motivation, a person’s level of effort and persistence, is
significant aspects of self-identification as an engineer.
cultivated through personal interests and desires
Lakin et al. [24] examined students’ perceptions of
including the desire to have a greater impact on society
engineering and engineers to understand engineering
and to help others [24], [25].
identity and future career plans. Using a mixed-method
Role models and mentors play an important role in
design, they surveyed 266 largely first-year engineering
building the recognition component of science identity [26].
students posing the following questions: What is
Students are more likely to recognize themselves as
engineering? What does an engineer do? Do you consider
belonging to their field when they encounter role models
yourself an engineer, and why or why not? What are your
and/or mentors that reflect their identity [27]. For
professional goals in becoming an engineer? In response to
underrepresented students in particular, quality mentorship
the question, “Are you an engineer,” they found,
has been shown to have an overall positive impact on
unsurprisingly, that most first-year students did not see
professional development [28]. Beyond a person to look up
themselves as engineers because they had yet to proceed
through key benchmarks of their program. However, they
noted many students did identify as engineers despite only
being in their first year. These students “defined
engineering as a set of practices (designing, improving),
values (efficiency), and mindsets (creativity, helping
others)” over previous definitions that had emphasized a
proclivity for “tinkering” or competency in math and
science [24, p. 227]. Echoing these findings, Meyers et al.
highlight that “Identity is not simply a designation for
students who are ‘good at’ physics or math...Identity is
more strongly shaped by students’ interests and beliefs that
they are recognized as the type of person who engages in
these subjects” [34, p. 327]. These authors suggest that
there is an opportunity for both STEM education
researchers and instructors to find effective ways to
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nurture students’ budding self-efficacy as future engineers scientists. This student- authored distinction, salient in both
who can make a positive impact in the world. Interventions Aranda et al.’s work and our own, goes beyond simply
that draw on the lived experiences of students and emphasize diversifying representation by encouraging agency in the
social impacts can improve students’ science identity [23]. process of science identity development.
Lakin et al. assert that interventions should provide “multiple As shown, the scholarship on science identity, and the
entry points” for students to think about their values, whether limitations of existing interventions, ground the MVB.
altruistic or individualistic, and how those values are Specifically, we recognized and sought to address two needs
reflected in the field of engineering [24, p. 228]. By in the design of our intervention. First, the need for students
prompting students to reflect on their histories, identities, to connect their social and personal values to the field of
and values as they relate to the field of engineering and their engineering—in other words, for students to recognize
future careers, the MVB tool described in this paper answers themselves in their field. Second, the need for an intervention
the call for “new ways for educators to recognize students in that was practical to implement in a variety of undergraduate
the classroom” [24, p. 330]. STEM courses. The latter was particularly relevant for the
Academic programming that support science identity are first author who routinely taught undergraduate
discussed in the literature. [11]. Areas of focus have communication courses for various STEM units. This role
included mentorship programs and research opportunities prompted the need to find impactful activities that could
[13], [22] [26], [35]; professionalization programs [36]; adapt to existing course design and outcomes.
initiatives that fall under the umbrella of active learning
(e.g., hands-on learning, project-based learning, and 2. METHODOLOGY
community-based learning) [37]-[39]; and course design
that is attentive to racial and gender diversity [40]. Despite The MVB intervention took place in a required
the landscape of broad principles and ambitious programs, communication course for first-year civil, environmental
there remains a paucity of practical interventions that can be and geological engineering students at a Canadian
implemented in flexible ways and in a variety of contexts. university. Along with meeting graduate attributes for
In his systematic review of engineering identity, accreditation, a key objective of the course is to prepare
Morelock [11] suggests that interventions are limited students to communicate effectively when they are placed in
because of the assumption that identity will develop professional environments during their cooperative (co-op)
organically as students gain experiences in both academic terms, which for most students takes place in the first year
and professional environments; however, this does not fully of their engineering program. Data was collected from three
consider the experiences of underrepresented and sections of the course, 51 students in total, taught in 2021 by
marginalized students who often face unique barriers. the same instructor; the course was asynchronous and fully
Furthermore, Morelock suggests a notable absence of online. This research had the approval of the Office of
interventions that “ask students to connect their beliefs, Research Ethics.
values, or other aspects of identity to engineering” [11, p.
1255]. Interventions do exist, of course, and are instructive.
2.1. Description of the MVB Assignment
For instance, Asher et al. [38] describe a “utility-value
intervention” in an introductory chemistry course where
students wrote three short essays about how the chemistry The MVB was designed as a lightly graded, end-of-term
material was both personally and socially meaningful. Their activity informed by the literature on science identity
findings reveal that students who recognize the utility-value described previously. As a low-stakes intervention, students
of challenging STEM courses are more likely to persist, could engage in the spirit of the activity without being
which was especially impactful for marginalized students preoccupied with the “right answer” or a particular grade.
who demonstrate higher rates of attrition. The assignment prompted students to construct their MVB
Another example of an intervention that supports science through the lens of people and projects that spoke to their
identity is “Scientist Spotlights.” Over the term, instructors values. Importantly, these themes had been woven into the
provided students with counter stereotypical profiles that course in various ways. For example, early in the course,
expand “who scientists are and how science is done” [27, p. students were asked to research what engineers said about
3], [41], [42]. Students are then asked to respond to essay communication in the field and share what they found on a
prompts about the profile including a prompt about the discussion board. Later in the course, students were asked to
relatability of the scientist spotlighted; the question of write an e-mail to a real engineer that inspired them. Their
relatability is meant to give students the opportunity to see major writing project, a research report, evolved from
themselves in the scientist being spotlighted. Notably, brainstorming related to the student’s values and how they
Aranda et al. [43] adapted the Science Spotlight assignment were demonstrated in current engineering projects and
by replacing instructor-authored profiles for student- research. By the time the MVB was introduced, students had
authored ones, which significantly increased students’ already been thinking about their values; mentors/role
understanding of diversity in science and relatability to models; projects and people that inspired them; and the
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social impacts of engineering. maintaining consistency with the initial criteria.

The MVB had two parts. First w a s the vision board
itself, a collage-type poster with images of inspiring 3. RESULTS & DISCUSSION
engineering people and projects. Second was the written
reflection about the vision board where students discussed
Analysis of students’ reflection revealed four salient
the images chosen and what they meant to them. The focus
themes in the data, which are described in the next section.
of this paper is on the written reflection component of the
The themes capture how students were able to forge
assignment.
meaningful connections across various aspects of their
To get started, students were given a list of “big
identity—their values, their histories, their passions, and
questions” to reflect on that included the following:
their future professional selves. As one student stated, “In
• What community/communities do I consider
order to complete this vision board I really had to think
myself a part of?
about what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be as an
• What kind of impact do I want to have on my engineer.” Excerpts from students’ reflections that correspond
community as a professional? to each theme can be found in Appendix B.
• What personal values do I bring to the field?
• Where can I find professionals in my field that
reflect aspects of my identity/values that are
3.1. Summary of Themes
most important to me?
• What are some engineering projects that speak to Looking Back and Looking Forward: The most salient
my values? theme, “Looking Back and Looking Forward,”
These questions were designed to have students think demonstrated the unique ways students imagined their
about their personal identities and values and how they future selves. Many students connected with childhood
were reflected in engineering people, projects, and memories that were, possibly, precursors to their decision to
communities. Students were also given suggestions of pursue engineering. For other students, looking back meant
where they could locate images for their vision board understanding the histories of built environments; for
including photos of real (living) engineers, social media international students especially, looking back was a
clips, professional organization/societies, news stories, connection to their home countries. Importantly, students
engineering company blogs etc. The guidelines for the imagined their future selves by weaving together a
MVB assignment can be found in Appendix A. narrative drawn from their pasts, their passions, and their
values.
Exposure to the Field of Engineering: This second theme,
2.2. Thematic Analysis “Exposure to the Field of Engineering,” highlights the ways
in which students gained new awareness about engineering
The study employed a thematic analysis (TA) to identify through the research required to complete the MVB.
patterns of meaning in the data [44]-[46]. TA is widely Students learned that engineering companies care about the
used, theoretically informed, approach to analyzing social impacts of their work, which many hadn’t previously
qualitative research systematically; it allows for an organic, considered. Learning about their field via their
flexible, and iterative approach to coding and theme values/passions sometimes led students to knowledge that
development [45]. Importantly, a TA allows the researcher was concrete and practical. For example, students learned
to tell a story about the themes and why they matter [46]. more about the Professional Engineering license and
The first author read all the reflections several times, specializations in civil engineering, information that they
taking notes on the patterns and themes that related to the would have typically learned about later in their academic
goals of the intervention and research. Because the first careers.
author was the instructor of the course and designed the …..Role Models and Mentors: This third theme revealed
MVB intervention, their reading of the reflections was that students had thought little about role models and
central to the inductive and deductive codes that were
mentors; moreover, no student wrote of having or
eventually the building blocks of the themes. Both authors
met several times to discuss their process, the patterns that
wanting a traditional mentor. Prompted by the activity,
stood out to them, and how the codes might be find-tuned. however, students often identified family members as
The second author imported students’ written reflections role models. The reflections suggest that students
into NVIVO and manually coded 12 reflections. Through began thinking about their community of engineers
an iterative and collaborative process, statements related to around them and how they may (or may not) reflect
vision, goals, interest, and social impacts were identified aspects of their identity. For one student, the absence
and labelled. Using manually coded papers as a reference, of civil engineers that identified as gay prompted them
the remaining reflection reports were automatically coded to want to diversify representation in engineering and
to predefined nodes. This step accelerated the coding be a mentor for others in the future.
process of the aggregated data in NVIVO while
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Uncertainty Transformed: This final theme, solving complex social problems. The MVB provides
“Uncertainty Transformed,” captured students’ overall first-year students the opportunity to practice reflexivity in
experience with the MVB. B y i n l a r g e , s tudents the confines of a low-stakes, creative activity, thus
began the activity skeptical of its usefulness but by the building connections between the “more technical aspects
of their work with a more socially aware professional
end, expressed a clearer sense of what had guided them
identity as it expands their notions of what it is to be an
to the field of engineering and how their values, engineer” [47, p.12).
passions and identities were (or were not) reflected in the Although the MVP was not intentionally designed as an
field. For some students, the creative aspect of the arts-based project, an arts-based pedagogy (ABP)
assignment was refreshing given the predominance of framework is evident in this intervention. ABP emphasizes
technical courses in their schedule. student-centered art processes (i.e., creating, responding,
or performing) to achieve learning) [49], [50] and has been
shown to encourage self-transformation and critical
3.2. How the MVB Builds Science Identity awareness about social impacts and social justice [49].
Moreover, in recent years, there has been an effort to bring
Our aim in creating the MVB intervention was to more arts-based knowledge to STEM fields, reflected in
provide students with an impactful, low-stakes the acronym STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
intervention that developed their “engineering identity.” Arts, and Math) [51]. Collage-type activities, which are
This goal is related to broader efforts to bring more EDI- similar to vision boards, have been shown to build
R-informed content into the course. This study set out to cognitive-emotional outcomes through its emphasis on
understand the impact of the MVB via student reflections. images, visual thinking, and reflexivity [52]. In programs
Our findings suggest that students were able to cultivate a such as engineering, the creative and emotional
more concrete and refined engineering identity, especially dimensions of collage-work allow for pathways that
where it concerned the areas of recognition and interest. develop soft skills, which are seen as increasingly valuable
In our study, the MVB tool proved to be a valuable for in technical fields [52]. Indeed, in their narratives, students
first-year engineering students as it provides a way for navigated the inherent complexity and messiness of
them to reflect on their values, actively and creatively, vis- identity—across geographies; across familial
à-vis the field of engineering. Through the process, relationships; across gender, race, and sexuality—
students may transform their initially vague understanding connecting their personal selves to their professional
of potential futures into a more concrete and value- selves with an impressive degree of clarity and elegance.
informed perspective of who they can be, thus These kinds of connections were made possible by the
strengthening their engineering identity and resilience. reflective and creative contours of the MVB.
The MVB cultivates interest in engineering by Turning to vision boards specifically, very few studies
expanding students’ understanding of who engineers are explore their pedagogical value. For adolescents
and what they do. When students in highly technical fields possessing fewer forms of social and economic capital,
like math, computer science, and engineering see how vision boards can be a creative tool to “explore their career
their work impacts people groups, communities, and and identity development and strengthen their self-
society, their interest and connection to their field grows efficacy in a way that is both intentional and flexible” [53,
[24]. Through the process of researching the field of p. 206], [54]. Where it concerns undergraduate pedagogy,
engineering through the lens of personal values, we see a few documented cases of vision boards are found. One
(re)igniting of student’s passion for engineering. example comes from a Hispanic-serving community
The MVB underscores the value of reflective writing in college that created an initiative to boost academic
technical fields. For the many students who might struggle preparedness in students looking to transfer to a four-year
through university-level math and physics, and need a STEM undergraduate degree program. The vision board
reason to persevere, it’s crucial that they connect with the activity, described in a category of “non- traditional”
who and why of engineering. The Who am I question, activities, was one small element in a three-day study skills
which underpins reflective writing, is a way for students workshop [55]. To our knowledge, no studies have used
to tap into the “non-technical, ethical, reflective aspects of vision boards as a way for students to build science
the field so important to diversity in engineering and identity.
future engineering endeavors that acknowledge
engagement with wider context” [47, p.12].
According to Sakellariou [48] who researches and
teaches about engineering ethics, reflexivity is about
engineers showing awareness of, and taking responsibility
for, the social dimensions of engineering such as social
justice and community-led concerns, as well as the
multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to
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4. CONCLUSION [2] E. J. Theobald et al., “Active learning narrows

achievement gaps for underrepresented students in
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vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 42–42, 2020, doi: 10.1186/s40594- 0344.

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no. 4, pp. 488–511, 2011, doi: Appendix A

10.1080/10665684.2011.610682
Mentorship Vision Board Assignment Guidelines
[50] K.L. Rieger, W.M. Chernomas, D.E. McMillian, F.L,
Morin, and L. Demczuk, F.L, “Effectiveness and Introduction: In this low-stakes assignment you will create a
experience of arts-based pedagogy among mentorship vision board (MVB). A vision board is simply a visual
undergraduate nursing students: a mixed methods expression of who you are, what inspires and motivates you, and
systematic review,” JBI Evidence Synthesis, vol 14, no. what you want to be or accomplish in the future. It’s a way to
11, pp. 139-239, 2016, doi 10.11124/JBISRIR-2016- imagine a future version of yourself. Don’t like the term “vision
003188 board”? No problem—call it a collage or visual essay if you
prefer.

[51] A. Valk, “Steaming up STEM: Visual arts and maker The purpose of this activity is to help you see yourself as part of
culture as a vehicle for student engagement and your engineering community and imagine how you might
collaboration on a STEM campus,” 2022. Available: contribute to the field of engineering. Laying out your vision can
[Link] build your confidence as a communicator and a professional in
e=1036&context=loexconf2017 your field.

[52] A.V. Komarova et al., “Possibilities of the collage By the end of this assignment, you should be able to:
method in the formation of soft-skills of future
engineers,” In Proceedings of the 24th International • Identify personal values and goals that intersect with
Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning, your profession.
2022, [Link] • Identify professionals and projects in your field who
you find motivating and inspiring.
[53] P. L. Waalkes, L. M. Gonzalez, and C. N. Brunson, • Expand your understanding of who an engineer is and
“Vision Boards and Adolescent Career Counseling: A what they do.
Culturally Responsive Approach,” Journal of
Creativity in Mental Health, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 205– To get started, reflect on some of these Big Questions:
216, 2019, doi: 10.1080/15401383.2019.1602092
• What community/communities do I consider myself a
[54] G. Conderman and N. Young, “Vision Boards: Students part of?
Look Into Their Futures,” Kappa Delta Pi Record, vol. • What kind of impact do I want to have on my
57, no. 2, pp. 90–94, 2021, doi: community as a professional?
10.1080/00228958.2021.1890446 • What can I do in my field to make the world a better
place?
[55] A.G. Enriquez, C.B. Lipe, and B. Price, “Enhancing the • What personal values do I bring to the field?
success of minority STEM students by providing • Where can I find professionals in my field that reflect
financial, academic, social, and cultural capital.” In aspects of my identity that are important to me?
ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, June, 2014. • What do I want from a mentor? If I could have three
Available: [Link] mentors guide me professionally, what areas would
they be in? What is it about professional that I find
[56] D. J. Carter, “Why the Black Kids Sit Together at the inspiring or motivating?
Stairs: The Role of Identity-Affirming Counter-Spaces • What are some cool projects in my field that speak to
in a Predominantly White High School,” The Journal of my values?
Negro Education, vol. 76, no. 4, pp. 542–554, 2007. • What are some areas I need to build my confidence in?
Available: How might a mentor or role model help me?
[Link]
[Link]/scholarly-journals/why-black-kids-sit- NOTE: Students did a free writing activity in response to these
together-at-stairs-role/docview/222067529/se- questions earlier in the course.
2?accountid=14906
What should I include in my MVB?
[57] S. Watkins and B. McGowan, “Exploring racism in the There is no “right” answer to this question. However, you might
undergraduate and graduate school choices of scientists find it helpful to draw from the following areas:
and engineers: counterspaces for Black men,”
International Journal of Qualitative Studies in • Images of real professionals in your field that inspire and
Education, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 356–368, 2023, doi: motivate you. (NOTE: In later versions of the
10.1080/09518398.2022.2127018 assignment, we qualified the language about “real”
engineers to avoid historical figures and celebrities.)
• Images of projects/research that speak to your
goals/values.

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about it…If a civil engineer, who knows all the concepts and
• Images that convey something about who you are and principles of building sciences, is on the case, it limits any
what you want to do in your field chance of lies being spread, and a goof sense of justice can
• Professionals on social media e.g., Instagram, twitter, most definitely overcome greed and corruption.”
tiktok, YouTube, LinkedIn “While working on it [MVB], I really felt like I was drawn
• Professional organizations/societies that you find back into my passion of roller coasters… thank you for
interesting (e.g., ASCE, IEEE, Engineers Canada, giving me the opportunity to look back on the past and fall
Society of Women Engineers, National Society of in love with roller coasters once again.”
Black Engineers)
• Clippings/screenshots from newspapers, magazines,
Theme 2: Exposure to the Field of Engineering
blogs, social media, engineering company
blogs/newsletters. “Through my research, I was able to learn more about the
• Headings, captions, quotes, or other motivational text. Professional Engineering license as well as possible
Just remember to keep text to a minimum. specializations I could take. Initially, I knew the main streams
in civil engineering were structural and transportation.
Since your vision board is digital, you can make it more interactive However, as I looked further into my research, I became more
by including hyperlinks, memes, video clips, and other types of interested in water resources as well. While I was looking into
media. Avoid clip art, stock images or other types of generic the Global Engineering Brigade, I found that their
visuals. organization helps to improve water quality and access to
those in developing countries.”
You may use any software you feel comfortable with as long as you “At first, I knew I wanted to be a civil engineer, I wasn’t sure
can share your vision board electronically. in what region or subcategory would I prefer, actually I did
not even know there was much beyond the structural aspect
Reflection (500–750 words) of civil engineering. I did not know there was environmental,
geological, water ways, transportation as separate sub
In this reflection, we are looking for the following: categories of civil engineering. This project helped me
realize that even those these subcategories of civil
• An explanation or “walk through” of your MVB. Any engineering do exist, structural is what type of engineer I
additional context, if needed. would like to become.”
• Insight into why you chose the images you did, why
they were meaningful, how they spoke to your Theme 3: Role Models and Mentors
goals/values/identity and so on.
• Insight into how your thinking about who you want to “The most obvious choice for my mentor was my uncle. I was
be as a professional might have changed through able to tour various construction sites back in Cambodia
completing this assignment which sparked my interest in construction and structures. I
• Clear writing that is concrete, thoughtful, and in-depth. was able to witness what his work could not only do for our
family, but for Cambodia as a country.”
You are also welcome to discuss your goals going into the MVB,
“My goal of the vision board is very clear-to be a successful
anything you struggled with, or any other feelings related your
and funny engineer…In many people’s mind, engineers are
work or the activity.
always rigid and seldom smile or like joking. Frankly, before
I take professor [Name] class, I also think that being an
Appendix B engineer means being rigid and serious. While, after I take
professor’s class, I found that engineers do not need to be
Sample excerpts from students’ MVB reflections. rigid, they can be both serious and funny.”

Theme 1: Looking Back and Looking Forward “[Name], in particular, is an inspiration to me because of her
South Asian background because I can see a part of me in her
“My first trip to Entebbe was when I was six months old.
and feel like I can see myself as part of the engineering
Since then, I’ve frequently gone back and forth between
c o m m u n i t y because of the representation she brings.”
Kampala and Entebbe. As a child, I loved being in Entebbe
which was peaceful compared to Kampala. What I didn’t “Overall though, I do not see many mentors which share my
appreciate was the journey to get there. The roads we used struggles. However, I am ready to be my own mentor in a way,
were so bumpy and the journey didn’t take less than two instead being inspired by the people who will come after me that
hours.” I can help. In other words, I am inspired by creating a better
workplace for the people who come after me. This is my
“My background is Indian, and I was born and partially raised
inspiration that will overcome my fears about my future in the
in India! I hate to say this, but in India, there is a lot of workplace.”
corruption that goes on and it affects people who have done
absolutely nothing…I want to be able to help those who are
affected by poor construction and be able to provide for
them. After witnessing buildings collapsing and the builders
living in perfect peace, it made me want to do something
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Theme 4: Uncertainty Transformed

“When I was first working on the vision board, I only had a

very vague idea of what I wanted my future as an engineer to
look like.”
“Before going into this assignment, I did not have an idea of
who I would consider an inspiration to me in the engineering
field, much less who would make a good mentor.”

“Prior to the first term of university, I wasn’t connected with

engineering communities or with the engineering field.”
“At first, when I saw the Mentorship Board assignment, I
thought to myself, "how is finding a fake mentor supposed
to motivate and guide me through my education and career
path". I did not know of any famous successful engineers. I
had convinced myself that there was no way this project could
make a difference and I just wanted to get it over with.
However, this was where I was wrong. The first couple
weeks of working on the project off and on I struggled. I
couldn’t find anything useful, and I did not know where to
start. After a while, I thought to myself, “what are some of
the things that I care about?”, “what was it in my life that
caused me to believe that?”. That is when the ideas started
coming in.”

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CEEA-ACÉG24; Paper 22
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