My STEM journey

My name is Jocelyn Jackson (Davenport, IA) and I am a PhD Student in Engineering Education Research at the University of Michigan. I discovered engineering in high school through an engineering design course offered by Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a non-profit organization that develops science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula for K-12 students. I was one of two females and the only Black student in a class of twenty; however, I didn’t expect this to be a trend as I began my undergraduate engineering studies at Iowa State. Due to the lack of representation, I turned to The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), The Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP), and the Ronald E. McNair Program for a strong sense of community, research preparation, and mentoring. However, these programs gave me a strong sense of belonging and essentially became my motivator for continuing STEM in higher education and now advanced education. This fall I am honored to attend the University of Michigan for the Ph.D. in Engineering Education as a Rackham Merit Fellow.  NSBE has clearly played a role in my successes and I am fortunate to have the opportunity to give back and fulfill the mission.