In 2004, Hispanic Engineer magazine conducted a survey of the top producers of Hispanic engineering graduates. The survey, “Leading Boosters of Hispanic Students in Engineering” revealed that Hispanic-serving institutions, some of which were emerging HSIs with less than 25 percent of students identifying as Latino/Latina/Latinx, shared several common characteristics.
These institutions were typically located in areas with large Hispanic populations, such as Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas.
Many Hispanic students being the first in their families to attend college, found comfort in being surrounded by people from similar backgrounds.
State universities were well represented, offering a more affordable option compared to private colleges.
The top producing institutions made significant efforts to reach out to the Hispanic community and create a welcoming environment for Latino/Latina/Latinx students.
Additionally, these colleges had active mentoring programs, often in the form of peer support, to help new students transition from high school or community college to a four-year institution.
The universities that graduate a high number of Hispanic engineers remain the same.
The University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez continues to have the largest number of Hispanic engineering students in the United States.
Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico is also one of the largest private Hispanic-serving engineering schools in the country.
Other top schools for Hispanic engineers include Florida International University (FIU), the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), and Texas A&M University – College Station.
Project Latine, a National Science Foundation engineering study, is focused on identifying psychological variables contributing to the persistence and satisfaction in engineering programs and entry-level engineering careers of women and Latinos/Latinas.
The project is based on Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), which explains the interactions among personal, environmental, and behavioral variables in developing career interests, choices, and persistence.
The study aims to produce a new measure of engineering interests for use in future research and the development of custom interventions to enhance relevant systemic supports, minimize systemic barriers, and strengthen social cognitions that are strong predictors of work engagement, satisfaction, and persistence for Latina women and Latino men.
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