Graduate education in engineering is an extremely challenging, complex entity that is difficult to change. The purpose of this exploratory research paper was to investigate the applicability of the Collective Impact framework, which has been used within community organizing contexts, to organize the change efforts of a center focused on advancing equitable graduate education within engineering. We sought to understand how the conditions of Collective Impact (i.e., common agenda, backbone organization, mutually reinforcing activities, shared measurement system, and continuous communication) could facilitate the organization of equity-focused change efforts across a college of engineering at a single institution. To achieve this, we took an action research approach. We found the Collective Impact framework to be a useful tool for organizing cross-sectional partnerships to facilitate equity-focused change in graduate education; we also found the five conditions of Collective Impact to be applicable to the higher education context, with some intentional considerations and modifications. Through coordinated efforts, the Collective Impact framework can support the goal of reorienting existing decentralized structures, resource flows, and decision processes to foster bottom-up and top-down change processes to advance equitable support for graduate students.

Background: Black students are an integral part of engineering education. However, despite millions of investments in broadening participation in engineering, they remain underrepresented in engineering. Literature shows that Black students face a variety of obstacles, but involvement in identity-based professional organizations (such as the National Society of Black Engineers and Black Greek Lettered Organizations) promotes persistence and academic success in engineering. There is a need to coalesce and synthesize the existing literature on the added value of Black engineering students’ participation in identity-based organizations. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to synthesize existing scholarship on how Black engineering students’ participation in identity-based organizations influences their academic and professional outcomes. Scope/Method: A systematic literature review methodology and thematic analysis was used to identify and synthesize findings from existing scholarship. Out of the 442 articles that were retrieved via database searches, 21 articles met all eligibility criteria after two rounds of screening. Results: There are four main outcomes of Black students’ participation in identity-based engineering organizations and programs: self-efficacy; a sense of belonging and community; various knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSAs); and professional success. The programming factors that facilitated these outcomes include: access to mentors and role models, attending social and professional development events, and active engagement in the organization and program. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that there are many benefits of identity-based professional societies and programs for Black students in engineering. Awareness of these outcomes and programming decisions has implications for researchers doing broadening participation work and practitioners overseeing these programs, which can help in increasing the number of Black engineers in higher education and the workforce.