(127f) Engineering Transitions: Exploring Experiences That Encourage Mental Health Prioritization Among Engineering Students

Engineering students often face high levels of academic and personal stress, yet structural and cultural barriers in engineering environments can discourage open conversations about mental health. This qualitative study explores the pivotal moments in engineering students' lives that led them to recognize the importance of prioritizing their mental health. Using Schlossberg’s Transition Theory as a guiding framework, we examine the situation, support, self, and strategy dimensions that shape students’ experiences of challenge and growth. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with engineering students to explore the context of these transitions, the sources of support they found meaningful, their emotional responses, and the strategies they used to navigate difficulty. Through narrative analysis, we will craft vignettes that capture these transformative moments. These vignettes will then be translated into graphical storyboards, which aim to highlight the human side of engineering education and help normalize mental health prioritization across engineering communities. Through this presentation, student experiences will be highlighted and general themes around student prioritization of well-being will be presented. Ultimately, the project aims to inform more empathetic educational practices and promote a culture of mental health awareness in engineering settings.