FROM PROVING TO CONNECTING: THE SHIFTING NATURE OF BELONGING IN THE FIRST YEAR OF MINORITIZED US DOCTORAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS

The first year of doctoral study is a critical period for students' academic formation and persistence, especially in engineering disciplines where early integration into research and advising relationships is expected. In the US, for Black and Latiné students-groups historically underrepresented in engineering-this period can be critical as they navigate systemic inequities and social isolation. This longitudinal qualitative study explores how a sense of belonging manifests and evolves for minoritized engineering doctoral students during their first year in U.S. programs. Drawing on focus group data collected across eight sessions with sixteen students from a national summer bridge program, we identify two dominant forms of belonging: merit-contingent belonging, characterized by a need to demonstrate competence and legitimacy, and relational belonging, fostered through supportive advisor and peer relationships. Findings show that while merit-contingent belonging dominates early experiences, it gradually gives way to relational forms of connection as students gain confidence and build community. We call for equity-focused interventions that humanize students, clarify merit, and build trust.