Many university engineering programs utilize undergraduate engineering students in outreach activities, to engage K-12 students. These pipeline programs are generally meant to excite K-12 students to consider careers in engineering. Cultivating undergraduate students to serve as near-peer mentors is a proven strategy for reaching underrepresented and underserved populations. Although these ambassador programs anecdotally benefit the K-12 students and schools they serve, no national model for evaluation exists. Further, many of the programs lack rigorous evaluation, so it is unknown whether these ambassador programs are, indeed, strengthening the engineering pipeline. Thus, this project, funded through an EAGER grant, seeks to bring together the ambassador program community nationally, to discuss their ambassador models, share best practices, and discuss evaluation and impact measures to understand the state of ambassador programs and determine future opportunities for research
Dr. Stacey Freeman is the Director of National Outreach for the College of Engineering at Boston University. In this role, she is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing outreach and diversity programs and initiatives to promote Engineering and increase the K-12 pipeline for women and underrepresented minority students.
Dr. Sandra Rodegher is the Manager for National Outreach Initiatives for the Office of Outreach and Diversity in Boston University's College of Engineering. In this role she seeks to develop mechanisms for engaging diverse populations and creating culture
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