Being, Becoming, and Belonging: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Latinx Students’ Persistence Through Engineering Identity and Belonging

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study investigates how engineering identity and classroom belonging shape Latinx students’ persistence over time. Using survey data from 189 students and interviews with 3 Latinx engineering students, the study employs structural equation modeling to examine present-oriented and aspirational dimensions of engineering identity and their relationships with classroom belonging and persistence beliefs across a semester. The findings are contextualized through qualitative narratives to illuminate students’ lived experiences.