Board 114: Amplifying Resilience and Becoming Critical Advocates: Three Black Engineering Students' Experiences in a Multi-Institutional Summer Camp Collaboration

This qualitative case study examined three Black undergraduate engineering students' experiences in the context of a collaborative grant project of two institutions—a PWI and an HBCU. Grounded in African American Male Theory (AAMT), the research team examined the three students' experiences in the context of the interconnected environmental systems (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystemic, macrosystem, chronosystem). Thematic and cross-case analysis revealed the importance of mesosystem and macrosystem, such as multi-layered and culturally relevant mentoring and support, in amplifying the participants' resilience and personal and professional development. Their community-serving mindset and authentic reciprocity with the high school students they served prompted them to become reflective and critical advocates of the program's original intent. As a result, they played a pivotal role in fulfilling the ultimate goal of institutional collaboration—diversifying the STEM workforce.