The Influence of Policy Implementation in the Midwest - How an SSTEM Program Broadens Participation and Enhances Engineering Identity for Community College Students

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca

This qualitative research study explains how a Midwest community college’s implementation of a Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SSTEM) program shapes engineering identity development for students facing financial need. Using a phenomenological approach, the study shows that the program increases students’ financial freedom and strengthens their ability to focus on engineering identity. It also deepens connections with STEM faculty, program staff, and peers, emphasizing the value of identity-building spaces and transfer pathways.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Study purpose and approach

Policy implementation and SSTEM program effects

Engineering identity development and student connections

Policy and future research implications

SPECIAL ISSUE Policy Implementation as an Instrument to Achieve Educational Equity in the Community College Context education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 29 Number 29 | March 8 , 2021 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | --- | The Influence of Policy Implementation in the Midwest: How an SSTEM Program Broadens Participation and Enhances Engineering Identity for Community College Students Sarah L. Rodriguez Texas A&M University –Commerce Maria L. Espino Brian D. Le Iowa State University & Kelly J. Cunningham University of Virginia Citation: Rodriguez, S. L., Espino, M. L., Le., B., & Cunningham, K. (2021). The influence of policy implementation in the Midwest: How an SSTEM program broadens participation and enhances engineering identity for community college students. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(29) . [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.5429](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.5429) This article is part of the special issue, Policy Implementation as an Instrument to Achieve Educational Equity in the Community College Context, guest edited by Eric R. Felix, H. Kenny Nienhusser, Ángel Gonzalez, Luz Burgos-López. Abstract: This qualitative research study describes how a Midwest community college’s implementation of an Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SSTEM) program influences engineering identity development for its students with financial need. Using a phenomenological approach, the study finds that the program enables community college students to have greater financial freedom and an ability to focus on engineering identity. In addition, the SSTEM program enhances student connections with STEM faculty, program staff, and peers. The study highlights the need for creating spaces for engineering identity development, developing connections between faculty, staff, and students, and enhancing transfer connections through different experiences. Future research might look to longitudinal designs and investigate additional contexts, engineering disciplines, gender differences, and programmatic structures to add nuance to these findings. The study suggests that practitioners might frame SSTEM and engineering experiences as opportunities for financial freedom and identity development and make further enhancements to transfer connections to four-year institutional partners. In terms of policy, the study suggests that policymakers consider identity development experiences an important aspect of funding SSTEM programs while enhancing programmatic support services available to students and placing greater emphasis on the collaborative actions, planned activities, and power dynamics between two-and four-year institutions funded by the SSTEM program. Keywords: qualitative research; STEM Education; community colleges; engineering; identity; policy La influencia de la implementación de políticas en el Midwest: Cómo un programa SSTEM amplía la participación y mejora la identidad de ingeniería para los estudiantes de colegios comunitarios Resumen: Este estudio de investigación cualitativa describe cómo un colegio comunitario del Medio Oeste implementó un programa de Becas en Ciencia, Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas (SSTEM) y su influencia en el desarrollo de una identidad de ingeniería para estudiantes con necesidades financieras. Usando un enfoque fenomenológico, el estudioencuentra que el programa permite a los estudiantes de colegios comunitarios tener una mayor libertad financiera y la capacidad de enfocarse en la identidad de ingeniería. Además, el programa SSTEM mejora las conexiones de los estudiantes con los profesores, el personal del programa y los compañeros de STEM. El estudio destaca la necesidad decrear espacios para el desarrollo de la identidad de la ingeniería, creando conexiones entre profesores, personal y estudiantes, y mejorando las conexiones de tran

FAQs

What policy element does the study focus on in the community college context?

The study focuses on how a Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (SSTEM) program is implemented and how that implementation influences student outcomes in engineering identity.

What approach does the research use to understand students’ experiences?

The research uses a phenomenological qualitative approach to describe how the program affects students’ engineering identity development.

How does the SSTEM program influence students beyond financial freedom?

It supports engineering identity focus and improves connections with STEM faculty, program staff, and peers, while also highlighting the need for spaces and transfer experiences that strengthen identity development.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca