The Role of African American Fraternities and Sororities in Engineering Students' Educational Experiences at a Predominantly White Institution

This paper describes an exploratory constructivist grounded theory study focusing on relationships between students' perceptions of their participation in an African American fraternity or sorority (i.e. a Black Greek-letter Organization) and their experiences in undergraduate engineering studies. 10 interviews were conducted with students at a Predominantly White Institution in the Southeastern United States. A semi-structured interview guide based on the critical incident technique was used to elicit specific information relative to the research question, and constructivist grounded theory analysis was used to develop a preliminary theory. This study's significance lies in its unique focus on peer-led Black Greek-letter Organizations as potential influences on students' educational experiences in engineering. These organizations have rich histories of traditions, including a strong emphasis on high academic standards. Our work augments that of other studies in engineering education which focus on institutionally-run interventions and/or support programs such as minority in engineering programs.