I Don't Want to Be an Almost Engineer

In the US there is a lack of women in engineering undergraduate studies and subsequently the engineering field. Without diversity in the workforce, the experiences of engineers are limited and therefore reduce their ability to engineer for a global society. This study uses a narrative approach that includes interviews and journaling to explore what influences women engineering students to persist in completing an engineering degree. It also considers how their experiences and perceptions relate to their self-efficacy, which in turn affects retention. Feminist standpoint theory and Bandura's (1986, 1997) self-efficacy theory inform this research. These women's stories of their experiences pursing an engineering degree can provide a link to key information regarding retention.