SEEdS:
Building and Maintaining Chosen Family to Support Student Outcomes in Engineering
Seminar Description
Recruiting and retaining students is critical to the future of engineering. However, doing so is no easy task. This seminar explores the concept of “chosen family,” a type of family students choose (Weston, 1997), that emerged from Dr. Major’s research on low-income engineering students, and describes its pertinence to recruitment and retention efforts.
This presentation was part of the Fulton Schools of Engineering Education Seminar (SEEdS) series, a monthly virtual speaker series that engages community members in discussions on engineering education. Learn more about SEEdS here.
From the discussion
While the discussion portions of SEEdS are not included in the recordings, here are a few key takeaways:
Assume every student may be navigating financial hardship
Rather than attempting to identify who is low-income, approach communication and course design with the assumption that any student may be managing financial strain or instability. Some may signal their circumstances – commuting long distances, caring for siblings – but many will not disclose. A universal, empathy-driven mindset reduces stigma and supports all students.
💡 How might you structure your course so students don’t need to disclose hardships to be supported?
Share selectively, authentically, and within boundaries
Faculty can build trust by acknowledging their own challenges, but disclosure must feel safe and controlled. Instructors don’t need to share specifics – general statements (“I’m not food insecure, but I know others who are,” “I’m managing mental health challenges,” “This week has been difficult”) are enough to signal humanity and openness. Students connect deeply when an instructor models honesty while maintaining professional boundaries.
💡 What kinds of personal disclosures feel authentic to you while still protecting your own well-being?
Guest Speaker
Dr. Justin C. Major (they/them) is an Assistant Professor of Experiential Engineering Education at Rowan University where they leads ASPIRE Lab (Advancing Student Pathways through Inequality Research in Engineering). Justin’s research focuses on low-income students, engineering belonging and marginalization mechanisms, adverse childhood experiences, and feminist approaches to EER, and connects these topics to broader understandings of student success in engineering. Justin completed their Ph.D. in Engineering Education (’22) and M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics (’21) at Purdue University, and two B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Secondary Mathematics Education at the University of Nevada, Reno (’17). Atop their education, Justin is a previous NSF Graduate Research Fellow and has won over a dozen awards for research, service, and activism related to marginalized communities, including the 2020 ASEE ERM Division Best Diversity Paper for their work on test anxiety. As a previous homeless and food-insecure student, Justin is eager to challenge and change engineering engineering education to be a pathway for socioeconomic mobility and broader systemic improvement rather than an additional barrier.
Missed a session? Access recordings of past SEEdS topics on our YouTube channel or those in the ASU community can explore our SEEdS resource folder.
