The Effectiveness of Extracurricular Programs in Determining Choice of Academic Major for Young Women

Emmeline Michelle Evans

Extracurricular STEM programs for girls in middle and high school are rapidly gaining visibility and popularity. However, research into how effective these programs are in encouraging girls to enter STEM fields is limited to the programs’ own internal reports. Through surveys and interviews of Penn State undergraduates who participated in these programs, I seek to determine how effective they are at encouraging girls to pursue STEM degrees as undergraduates and how they could be improved.

Major: 
Mechanical Engineering
Exhibition Category: 
Engineering
Exhibition Format: 
Poster Presentation
Campus: 
University Park
Faculty Sponsor: 
Dr. Christopher McComb
Poster Number: 
196