Conference Session

Mentorship in Engineering Leadership Development

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

D'Andre Jermaine Wilson-Ihejirika, University of Toronto; Susan McCahan, University of Toronto; Greg Evans P.Eng., University of Toronto

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division (LEAD)

engineering undergraduate experience can help to developtransferable skills or ‘soft skills’[3], [4], [5]. The engineering undergraduate experience nowincludes more than just curriculum, but also other aspects such as internships, student clubs,research and other co-curricular workshops and activities. These activities can help develop keyleadership and career skills for engineering students, however not all engineering students maybe influenced by certain activities in the same way.It is known that certain demographics are underrepresented in engineering careers andundergraduate programs. Black people, in particular, continue to be underrepresented inengineering fields [6], [7]. Understanding how Black students develop relevant career andleadership

Conference Session

New Approaches and Leadership Development Frameworks

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Boz Bowles, Louisiana State University and A&M College; Adrienne Steele, Louisiana State University and A&M College; Rebecca Acosta Burdette; Annemarie Galeucia

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division (LEAD)

for, among other challenges, embedding so called “soft skills” into engineeringeducation to better prepare students for professional roles in a rapidly changing world. (Weprefer to refer to them as “essential skills.”) In response, the Accreditation Board for Engineeringand Technology (ABET) updated its student outcomes to include communication, ethics, andteamwork as essential components of an engineer’s education [1]. However, these changespresented a challenge: many engineering programs struggled to integrate these skills into theircurricula, which had traditionally focused almost exclusively on technical content.Communication, in particular, was viewed by many in engineering as the purview of Englishdepartments, leaving many engineering

Conference Session

Mentorship in Engineering Leadership Development

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Nakamura, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Department of Mechanical Engineering; Corrisa Heyes, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa; Joseph J. Brown Ph.D., University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division (LEAD)

methodologiesProject Coordination and Engagement: We wish to evaluate the effectiveness of the VIPmentorship framework for developing student soft skills. 9.​ How clear were the roles and responsibilities assigned to you in the integrated projects? ○​ (Not Clear, Minimally Clear, Somewhat Clear, Largely Clear, Extremely Clear) 10.​Were the integrated projects aligned with real-world engineering problems? (Yes, very much; Somewhat; No) 11.​Give a short description of the real-world application (or lack thereof) of your project. 12.​How often did you interact with peers (both lab members and others) from other academic levels during the projects? ○​ (Daily, Weekly, Rarely, Never – across different education levels and

Conference Session

Evaluation and Assessment for Engineering Leadership Programs

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Maria Elena Truyol, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; Camila Zapata-Casabon, Universidad Andres Bello; Vicente Valenzuela-Riquelme M.Sc., Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Leadership Development Division (LEAD)

key leadership qualities such as organization and responsibility. Thisanalysis seeks to determine whether high academic achievement correlates with thedevelopment of soft skills, which are critical for effective team management andcommunication. Furthermore, it examines whether the current educational system of anengineering school successfully balances technical knowledge and leadership development,providing a comprehensive understanding of a student’s profile and suggesting areas forimprovement in engineering leadership training. This study aims to analyze the leadershipcharacteristics of final-year engineering students by examining the relationship betweenvarious sociodemographic factors, including GPA, academic program, work experience

Conference Session

Civil Engineering & Leadership Division Joint Session

Collection

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Binita Acharya, Colorado State University; Rebecca A Atadero P.E., Colorado State University; Mehmet Egemen Ozbek; Fawzi Khalife, Colorado State University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Civil Engineering Division (CIVIL), Engineering Leadership Development Division (LEAD)

taught to students to prepare them fortackling equity issues in practice: skills, values and knowledge. This theme highlights how thesekey areas help incorporate social equity in engineering.Skills:Participants emphasized the importance of soft skills—such as communication, persuasion, andempathy—as essential for students. Equity issues are sensitive and often require extensiveinteractions with end users. Therefore, the ability to communicate effectively and understand theperspectives of these users is vital for students to transition into practice. It is also crucial forstudents to remain open to listening to others’ opinions and experiences without holdingpreconceived notions. Developing these skills can enhance their understanding and