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Engineering Wellness: The Role of Mental Health in Engineering Education

Engineering programs are widely recognized for their academic rigor and emphasis on problem-solving, innovation, and technical knowledgebase. While these qualities prepare students for important and advanced careers, there鈥檚 an elephant in the room when it comes to engineering education: mental health. The success of future engineers depends not only on technical knowledge, but also on mental well-being. It is imperative to understand the challenges faced by engineering students in order to create more inclusive and effective educational environments that set students up for professional and personal success.

Several high-profile studies in recent years have indicated a substantial growth in reported cases of mental disorders and difficulties in the United States, especially in young populations. This has clear impacts on college students. A recent Healthy Minds study documenting trends in college students鈥� mental health from 2013-2021 (over 350,0000 students across 370+ schools) reports that during the 2020-2021 academic year, over 60% of students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem[]. That is up 50% from 2013. Mental health worsened for all ethnicities of college students across the board during the study.

According to one literature review,听 most studies report that around 50% of all chronic mental conditions are diagnosed in the mid-teens and 75% by the mid-twenties[]. The review also suggests, 鈥淪evere disorders are typically preceded by less severe disorders that are seldom brought to clinical attention.鈥� Of course, higher education is not the only reason for these high rates of diagnoses. Mental health is an incredibly complex issue, and there are limits on the capabilities of schools to address these problems. But, there are risk factors present that can be exacerbated, and so it follows that attempts to reduce prevalence of risk factors introduced by higher education are incredibly important and impactful for student well being. As so many people in the student demographic are at risk for chronic, lifelong disorders and difficulties, there is a moral responsibility to work toward solutions.

听Why is this important?听Well, beyond the simple goal of improving quality of life and preventing the onset of chronic conditions, multiple studies from the last decade note a significant increase in mortality within populations suffering from mental disorders relative to a comparison population (all-cause mortality; i.e. non-specified cause of mortality) and estimate a decreased life expectancy of 10-15 years[].听Additionally, suicide is the second-leading cause of death in college students according to Taub & Thompson in 2013[] . As of now it is still the second-leading cause of death in college-age adults, and the tenth-leading cause in all U.S. adults.

How does the mental health outlook change for engineering students specifically? In this study, engineering undergraduate students were near the average for rates of mental disorders across students of various disciplines such as Business, Health, Natural and Social Sciences, but those with apparent mental health problems were the least likely to seek help (only around 25%)[]. For master鈥檚 students, the rate of treatment becomes even lower (~20%). Why is that? Well, there鈥檚 no single answer. To begin offering some potential reasons, it is important to first introduce the idea of engineering as a discipline and as a culture.

听If you are of an engineering background, you have very likely heard the phrase 鈥渆ngineering culture.鈥� If you have not, to begin addressing what this actually means, let us first gain some context. Merriam-Webster defines culture as the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic. How does this extend to engineering as a discipline and community?

In 2010, Elizabeth Godfrey and Lesley Parker published a landmark paper defining foundational aspects of engineering educational culture. They posit there are six dimensions: An Engineering Way of Thinking, An Engineering Way of Doing, Being an Engineer, Acceptance of Difference, Relationships, and Relationship to the Environment[]. To do so, they drew on a study which conducted interviews with faculty and students of the School of Engineering at a prestigious New Zealand university in the late 90鈥檚 and early 00鈥檚. While all of these dimensions are worth discussing and investigating, I will focus on ones more closely related to student mental health and wellness.

The first two tenets, engineering ways of thinking and doing, are relatively self-explanatory; many courses are geared toward thinking logically and linearly (how components and systems are incorporated, factors influencing designs, mathematical and physical laws regarding optimization principles, etc.). We鈥檙e taught to fall back on our intuition and fundamental understanding to synthesize and understand new ideas. A very frequent motto heard in classes is 鈥渦se what you know to solve for what you don鈥檛鈥�, meaning that you can analyze some complex system or problem, record observations, and draw on your findings to reach new conclusions.听

听Many graduates, my dad included, reference听this as one of the most impactful parts of their education: 鈥淭he biggest thing I learned during college was听how听to think. I had always been logical, but engineering gave me the tools to expand what I knew to what I didn鈥檛. I got really, really good at knowing where to find answers to questions, what questions are valuable to ask, that kind of thing. I don鈥檛 know if I would have gotten that somewhere else,鈥� he said to me as I entered my first year at CU. He studied engineering at Lehigh University in the 90鈥檚 (and has some unique insight I鈥檝e used throughout this paper). Much of engineering education after the foundational courses (from the first and second years of undergrad) are geared toward the 鈥渨hy鈥� and 鈥渉ow鈥� of problem solving, and not so much about getting the exact correct answer. Because, oftentimes, there is not a single correct answer or singular correct approach (especially for open-ended design oriented projects and problems); it鈥檚 more about 鈥榟ow can I get from A to B using what I know鈥� and 鈥榓m I approaching this correctly鈥� to wrap your head around the basics of what is actually going on. In conjunction, many other courses stress the importance of being able to mathematically solve problems and to apply them to real-world situations. When talking with an engineer, it鈥檚 not uncommon to see them pull out a piece of paper and work out a problem or sketch a design on-the-fly. We use math and drawings as shorthand to communicate our ideas and approaches efficiently.

Godfrey and Parker define 鈥淏eing an Engineer鈥� as typically 鈥渢ough, self-reliant鈥� and 鈥減ragmatic rather than idealistic;鈥� people who 鈥渢hink in bullet points鈥� and not in abstract, verbose sentences. This is certainly true in my experience. That being said, it is often the students who are personable and effective in team settings and idealists who introduce the most unique ideas and insight. This out of the box thinking is something that schools cannot directly teach, but absolutely can (and should) nurture. In my experience, the most effective teachers are the ones who blend the standardized engineering industry practices with giving students room and opportunities to develop their creativity and unique skillset. There certainly are some standardized design conventions and steps for problem solving in industry which employers expect new graduates to be comfortable with, but new ideas and unique approaches are vital as well. Part of the importance of being an engineer is to question systems and processes around us, to not simply accept things as the status quo.

鈥淩elationships鈥� were described by both faculty and students as fundamental for success. Students frequently noted that most or all of their friends were engineers as well. Simply put, it takes time and effort to build a vibrant social network with all types of students, and oftentimes you will not have enough time or energy left over to do so; you spend virtually all of your time and endure great amounts of stress with the same people, so naturally you become friends with those around you. 鈥楽tress bonding鈥�, my roommate calls it. This is certainly true in my case; during multiple project-based classes, my teams had to pull several all-nighters within a very short period of time to meet deadlines. Many of those teammates are some of the closest friends I have today. In fact, most of my friends are also engineers. Part of it is an underlying similarity in thinking and interests between engineers. Oftentimes your interests are shared; hobbies offer a social source of a break from intense coursework. Thinking logically comes easily for many engineers, so talking about problems logically rather than emotionally is sometimes easier for many people. Another part of it is that shared sense of stress and work ethic, studying together for long hours, the subtle and unspoken acceptance of missing plans so as to study.听

Early in the writing process for this paper I asked several of my friends and classmates to think of one word to describe their personal experience being an engineering student. Far and away the most common responses I heard were some variation of 鈥榮tress鈥� or 鈥榖usy鈥�. This leads to one of the rather unique aspects听of STEM as a whole, and even more so of engineering specifically:听that听a state of perpetual, intense stress is a normality. Perhaps one reason is the reality that most students will have to retake courses at some point in their academic career. Many engineers I鈥檝e talked to have. I certainly have. Engineering students tend to have this 鈥榞o, go, go鈥� mentality regarding work and academic timelines. There is much to be done in a very short timespan, so this is somewhat natural. When the timeline is inevitably affected, it is demoralizing for many students. Doubts begin to creep in; 鈥業鈥檓 behind everyone else鈥� and 鈥業 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 cut out for this鈥�, for example. I can鈥檛 count the number of times I鈥檝e been sitting in class and overheard classmates saying something to the effect of 鈥淓veryone else is doing well in this class, I need to try harder.鈥� As mentioned before, engineering students are among the least likely to seek help; this inherent expectation that academics will be difficult and the self-comparison and inter-competition between students is a significant reason for a lack of help-seeking.

You鈥檝e likely heard the adage 鈥渆ach credit is roughly 4 hours of work each week鈥�. In my experience, this is useful for many disciplines, but not for engineering. For the first and second years this is often true, but not for more difficult courses and semesters. Taken at face value, 12 credit hours (the minimum considered full-time at CU) translates to 48 hours per week. If you exceed the bare minimum for full-time, which virtually every engineering student does at my school (likely over 15 credits), you鈥檙e looking at over 60 hours each week. This is purely for classwork, and is not accounting for commutes, outside jobs, extracurricular activities, etc. Exams are almost exclusively held outside of class during evenings, which when coupled with the sheer volume of assignments makes it incredibly difficult to balance jobs or friend and family obligations outside of academics.

During particularly hard weeks where I have multiple exams on the same day and several homework assignments due soon after, I often call my dad for advice. One of the most memorable things he鈥檚 said during these calls was that every semester, without fail, he and his peers would have a moment of reckoning; assignments pile up for deadlines fast approaching, such that some things will simply not be completed and it becomes a marathon to do as much as possible while maintaining some semblance of a work-life balance. 鈥淥ne of my major goals for each semester would be to push that moment off as long as I could, but without fail it would spring up every semester; sometimes in the third week and sometimes right before final exams. If it鈥檚 before the halfway point, good luck my friend. Marathons are run a single step at a time. Better start moving.鈥� My friends and I have taken this up as an heirloom piece of advice from someone who鈥檚 been in our shoes. It helps.

From my experience in non-engineering classes and talking with Humanities peers, this is a relatively unique perspective to engineering students. It鈥檚 expected that students will burn out, pull all-nighters, suffer a lack of personal time, all in order to simply finish assignments and meet deadlines. Many engineering students will say, interestingly enough, that this is a reasonable thing (at the very least, not altogether bad). Harder programs and rigorous workloads contribute to a heightened sense of pride and satisfaction. Several students in the Godfrey & Parker study seemed to exhibit the belief, as the researchers put it, 鈥淭he strength and ability to 鈥榯ake it鈥� and succeed within this paradigm appeared to contribute to the pride and sense of achievement that students spoke of as an outcome of completing the degree. If the degree was 鈥榟ard鈥� then they were all the more worthy for having completed it.鈥� A fitting phrase to go with this is that engineering is a 鈥渕eritocracy of difficulty鈥漑], which is described as "...how students' justify their anticipated comfortable futures based on the fact that they perceive their school work to be much more difficult than that of students in other departments." In other words, the assumption is that working hard now (relative to non-engineering students) sets you up for a more comfortable life. This further contributes to poor health habits, in addition to demands of coursework alone. Looking at peers in terms of 鈥業 work harder than them鈥� or 鈥業 will be more successful than them鈥� is destructive. How can you work towards your physical health, social and familial relationships, and personal growth if all of your effort and time is dedicated to one single thing and your happiness and wellness听are deferred to the future?

Along a similar vein: I strongly believe that another significant factor challenging mental health and wellness is the virtual 24/7 access that online educational platforms offer. They are not all bad, not by any means. Increasing accessibility and support for students is a massive plus. Students that are unable to physically be on-campus are able to learn and contribute in ways nearly impossible before. Accessing course resources such as notes and assignments allow students to work through course material at their own pace and around job schedules. I鈥檓 not saying increased accessibility is strictly a bad thing, not at all, but what I am saying is that this increased accessibility is not without its drawbacks.

My dad and I have had long conversations regarding this. For him, virtually every assignment was a physical paper submission during lecture or lab times. Online learning platforms certainly existed at the time, but were not nearly as standardized as today. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 probably one of the biggest differences with college today, the access and expectation that you鈥檙e available around the clock. When I finished classwork and left campus, I was done. I was free to be a college kid: go ski or spend time with friends. Of course there was always work waiting for me the next time I met for class, but there wasn鈥檛 an implied expectation of being a student 24/7,鈥� he said during one such conversation. Virtually every class I鈥檝e taken has had assignments submitted through an online platform for which many professors set the deadline at 11:59pm, which encourages students to study late into the night to meet these deadlines. I鈥檝e had professors and TA鈥檚 send emails at 9 or 10pm for assignments due that night or the next day, which, directly or indirectly,听 promotes the expectation that students are available around the clock.

To combat this, some professors intentionally set their deadlines before midnight. It鈥檚 very common for engineering students to work right up to the minute an assignment is due, so setting deadlines earlier gives students a better chance to build healthy sleep habits. Assigning homework far in advance of the deadline is another strategy many professors use, since it allows students to balance their schedules and figure out what works best for them to get assignments done on time. Everyone has different schedules and external responsibilities, so increased flexibility with scheduling and working hours is one way to make engineering more accessible.听

Much of the discourse around my program recently (in addition to heavy courseloads), since I am entering my fourth and final year in Fall 2026, has been regarding industry employment. This is a point where the 鈥渕eritocracy of difficulty鈥� becomes a fallacy: academics remain difficult, but do not hold the promise of a suitable job. Many students question whether the immense stress and workload is worth continuing. Several friends across various departments, especially Aerospace Engineering, have repeatedly said they are worried about the current job market and finding a job after college. There is growing competition for entry-level engineering positions and even for internships. Very often, engineering students will apply for dozens of internship positions before hearing back from even one for an interview. This certainly increases stress, as well as pressures students to add more onto their plates to stand out. Many students believe good grades are not enough to obtain a job offer anymore; many, if not most, are involved in multiple clubs and create individual projects to help their chances of employment. This takes away even more time from a student鈥檚 social and personal life, and is a major source of stress and impact on mental health.

It should be noted that difficulties with academics do not affect groups in the same way. A 2018 internal study at Cal Poly reported that students in different engineering departments were affected by mental health problems at different rates[]. Fig. 1听below indicates the percentages of students for various mental health screening types across departments.

Fig. 1 - Cal Poly Student MH Screenings by Major

This agrees with the notion that different groups experience difficulties and problems differently, even within engineering itself.

High workloads are experienced across the board, but some additional difficulties are present for certain groups of students. Many studies report the ways in which gender and racial disparities may exacerbate these issues.听

Gender and racial disparities are frequently noted but underexplored in academic environments. Earlier I referenced my small-scale question for gauging student experiences at my university. A disturbingly common response I received from my non-male friends and peers was 鈥榖iased鈥�. Several courses in engineering curricula across the College of Engineering at my school are team project-based, for which professors often utilize a random-assignment system to form teams. As a result of gender enrollment rate disparities, teams may be created with only a few non-male students. According to my friends and peers (and from overhearing conversations from groups around my classes) it is a rare but existing occurrence, even today, for there to be an inherent reservation for tasks more math-heavy and hands-on for male students.听

In addition to challenges in undergraduate study, many female engineering graduates end up leaving industry or never entering the engineering field in the first place. Highlighting this, there is an intriguing paradox, called the 鈥榠n/visibility paradox鈥�, regarding gender in engineering; Faulkner describes it as 鈥渨omen engineers are simultaneously highly visible as women yet invisible as engineers鈥� in the workplace[]. Industry can have the tendency to leave out women when it comes to recognizing contributions on projects, yet sexist comments and the simple fact of low representation highlight the strangeness/(non-normality)听that women are even there in the first place. The Society of Women Engineers website (as of May 31st, 2026) and the US Census Bureau report that women comprised 15.4% of the engineering workforce in 2024[]. Below, Fig. 2 shows trends in female representation in occupations across various STEM fields over the last several decades.

Fig. 2 - Women in STEM Occupations Chart

Women are constituting more and more of the engineering workforce over time, but there is still a significant gap in gender rates today. This can contribute to feelings of unwelcomeness and isolation for female students and professionals that impact mental wellness.

Students that identify with the LGBTQIA+ community are typically some of the most likely students to report difficulties with peer interactions and involvement in classes as highly challenging and detrimental to academic success. Greathouse et al (2018) indicates that over 70% of trans-spectrum students and over 40% of queer-spectrum students report discrimination on campus, according to a 2020 ASEE conference preceding[].

Engineering environments and culture create disparities along ethnic demographics as well as gender, as shown below in Fig. 3.听

Fig. 3 - ASCE Reported Chart of Enrollment Demographics for Gender and Ethnicity

The American Society of Civil Engineers reported the above numbers for students across varying levels of education for 2016 compared with 2019[]. While the percentage of women increased for bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 level study, the percentage of minority students in both bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 programs decreased over this time span.

This disparity can result in educational settings that are less welcoming and impactful for many students. Lowered engagement and enthusiasm have the potential to hurt perseverance and chances of retention, leading to even lower minority representation in engineering.

Differences in experiences based on demographics are not limited to problems alone, but rather from engineering culture as a whole. Underrepresented students consistently report their departments to be less diverse than overrepresented students, leading to a lack of a sense of belonging[]. Another study suggests that a lack of belonging is one of the leading causes of student attrition[]. This is one of the biggest issues facing engineering education today, yet it also offers universities a uniquely impactful opportunity. Initiatives that increase awareness and inclusion of problems facing underrepresented students have the potential to be extremely beneficial and transformative for changing engineering culture for the better. After all, it is important to work towards systemic changes that improve the wellbeing of students as future engineers and as human beings. Human-centered design is a fast-growing approach to designing products, technology, and environments that places people鈥檚 abilities, understanding, and limitations at the center of the design process. Every single person on the planet holds preconceptions and influences, regardless of how cognizant said person may be, which have the ability to impact design considerations and end-use. How can we develop human-centered design without first investigating who we are as engineers? It is not enough to look at a problem and implement a solution. As an engineer it is imperative that you stop and ask yourself 鈥淲hy is this solution/design needed? Who does it help? Who can it hurt? Am I knowledgeable enough about the people and the problem to decide if this is a good project?鈥� If engineers, the people who are hands-on in the design process, are unaware of their influences, there certainly exists the possibility that their designs and product implementations can have negative effects on people (and disproportionately affect certain groups more than others). Throughout undergrad we鈥檙e taught various methods and problem solving approaches, which is great for developing competent and effective engineers, but can lead to students thinking of everything in terms of problems and cost-benefit-ratios.

Much of the purpose of engineering education is learning how to solve problems. Every class dedicates time to introducing multiple problem solving methods in lecture, and relies on students putting in effort to expand their knowledge and problem solving outside of class. Another major purpose is to learn time management and efficiency. This is a common reasoning for professors to assign high workloads; industry projects move very quickly, and elite time management is required to balance multiple project timelines at the same time. Perhaps these are some of the reasons engineering students are less likely to seek help and counseling. We鈥檙e taught that a 鈥榞ood engineer鈥� is someone who solves problems quickly and efficiently, often without direct guidance from professors or managers. This independence is a very common and celebrated trait for engineering students. Assignments are typically individual, so there is some natural necessity for the ability to work through problems independently. Additionally, when curved grading scales are used in classes, the potential arises for intense competitiveness between students. When a student鈥檚 grade is somewhat dependent on scores of other students (for example, a 70% on an exam will be curved up to a higher score if the class average was a 30% than if the class average was a 60% for classes operating on a mean-curve system), there鈥檚 a slight incentive to not assist other students and work independently. That being said, curves are not used across the board. CU, for example, rarely implements curves in our engineering courses (at least in the Mechanical, Civil, and Integrated Design Departments where I鈥檝e taken courses). Most, if not all, professors encourage students to work together for problem-solving approaches for homework. Even further, recent changes in pedagogical practices and theory have highlighted the benefits of collaborative assignments and environments. Group-based projects and assignments are an indirect avenue faculty can utilize to teach the 鈥榮oft skills鈥� (communication, teamwork, reliability, etc.) required for professional and personal growth. Collaboration can sow the seeds of cultivating a more welcoming environment for all students. Learning to solve problems together, leveraging unique backgrounds and skills, is a chief responsibility for developing as both an engineer, and a human being.

Another potential roadblock for students to seek help is stigma. While certainly improving in recent years, there is a persistent stigma around mental health. It鈥檚 simply not a common thing for people to talk about, and seeking help is sometimes looked down upon. Some people have an inherent view of 鈥業 should be able to tough it out鈥� or 鈥楾he people around me seem to be doing fine. Maybe I鈥檓 being dramatic鈥�, which combines with the expectation of difficulty in engineering to likely contribute to a lack of seeking help. If they do choose to seek help, many people will experience long wait times and difficulty seeing a healthcare provider. From 2007 to 2017, college students increasingly utilized mental health services from 19% in 2007 to 34% in 2017[]. At the same time, over 275 college-affiliated counseling centers reported decreases in budget from 2024-2025[]. This increase in resource utilization and decrease in funding and availability of providers have a significant impact on the ability of students to meet with counselors. Additionally, many on-campus resources are only available during working hours (at the same times as almost all classes and jobs), so many students are simply not able to utilize their school鈥檚 resources. As a result, a silver lining is that students are more and more likely to reach out to fellow students and professors.

To challenge the mental health issues students face, a fantastic approach many 麻豆免费版下载professors take is to begin classes with a short discussion of how they understand their students are people first and students second, and to periodically mention this throughout a semester. Some mention that they are willing to give students extensions on assignments if needed and that their office hours are not simply for course-related questions but also for supporting students. On more than one occasion, while working late on an assignment and emailing a professor for guidance or clarification on a question, they鈥檝e offered me an extension and a sympathetic 鈥淭ake an extra day on this. It matters much more to me that you get sleep and take care of yourself than getting this one assignment done on time.鈥� I cannot stress enough how important little things like this are for helping students remain engaged with their studies. Recognition of students being human beings is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools professors have to offer. These have been the most impactful professors in my own academic career and many of my friends say the same.

If you are a student struggling with or concerned about your mental health, it is crucial to know about what resources are available. It can mean a world of difference. It has for me. If you are experiencing a crisis or need to talk to someone, here is a list of resources to reach out to if you鈥檙e in the United States.听It鈥檚 never too late to start the process for getting help.听

  • 988 - Suicide Prevention and Crisis Intervention. You can call or text for 24/7 support in English, Spanish, and ASL.
  • 741741 - Crisis Text Line. 24/7 support in English or Spanish.
  • 1-800-662-HELP (4357) - SAMHSA National Helpline. Confidential, 24/7 Information and Referral Resources

For CU-Affiliated resources for students, I highly recommend looking into Counseling And Psychiatric Services (CAPS). They offer one-on-one and group counseling, community referrals, and workshops. For many services they offer same-day appointments, but be advised there is often high demand so try early in the day to book an appointment before they fill up. You can also schedule an appointment multiple days in advance.听 Additionally, 麻豆免费版下载partners with BetterMynd to provide greater accessibility and more options for students. Enrolled 麻豆免费版下载students are able to access free 50-minute tele-help sessions, and no insurance is required.You can have an appointment from anywhere and much more flexibility with scheduling. Several student organizations and 麻豆免费版下载departments organize various events throughout the semester geared towards mindfulness and wellness, and are absolutely worth looking into. Student organizations offer places to grow your community and belonging. Your professors and mentors and peers are also great resources. They are there for you and听want to help you if they can, which goes both ways. Be kind and help those around you if you can.

Here are some of my own hard-fought strategies for managing academic and life responsibilities.

  • If your schedule allows it, go to office hours. It will help you understand content better which often allows you to finish assignments more quickly. Besides the academic benefit, your professors are real people that have been in your shoes, I guarantee it. The process to become an engineering professor is grueling, and each professor is an example of a student who managed the difficulties of engineering education and life outside of the classroom. Very often they will be receptive to your difficulties and offer strategies of their own, or simply be a pair of ears to listen.
  • Set boundaries on your schoolwork. Learn what workflows are best for you. Try setting aside dedicated time where you pursue hobbies. Don鈥檛 forget to live life outside of academics.
    • 鈥淟ife is what happens to you while you鈥檙e busy making other plans鈥� - John Lennon
      • Try not to lose sight of why you鈥檙e studying engineering in the first place
    • For me, I鈥檓 done working for the day the minute I leave campus. I鈥檓 not productive when in my apartment and I begin to associate my living space with feeling stressed.
    • I like to give myself half a day or a full day on the weekends to pursue my hobbies and spend time with friends. I highly recommend it. You鈥檒l come back feeling refreshed.
  • At some point there are diminishing returns to working late versus getting sleep. Give yourself a set time to stop working at night.听
    • Sleep is the foundation of virtually everything health-related. Your body and brain will thank you for building healthy sleep habits.
  • Try to eat well and spend time outside. We鈥檙e not designed to sit at a computer 24/7.
    • If you鈥檙e a student at CU, I highly recommend hikes around the听 here in Boulder if you鈥檙e able. See the sights around you.
  • When you can, try to grow your social circle or deepen your friendships. Time invested into friends and family is never wasted.
    • Look into the student organizations at your university. They are a great way to connect with students interested in similar things and to build your community.
  • The longer you procrastinate something (responding to an email, starting an assignment, studying for an exam, etc.) the harder it is to get around to doing it. 鈥楧on鈥檛 put it down, put it away鈥�.

Thank you for taking the time to read this paper. It will take a shared effort from all of us in the engineering education community to continue addressing the challenges impacting mental health, and learning about them and discussions are a fantastic place to start.

It is important to note that my analysis here is focused on the United States specifically. I am myself an American engineering student, and a white male, based in the United States. My current abilities and resources restricted me to analyzing English-based publications. It should also be noted that of the recent publications regarding mental well being in engineering students specifically, many were conducted outside the U.S. This indicates that mental well being issues are recognized across the world and are of international interest.

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[7]. Stevens. 鈥淓ngineering as Lifestyle and a Meritocracy of Difficulty: Two pervasive beliefs among engineering students and their possible effects鈥�,听ASEE Peer, 24 Jun 2007.

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[11]. Jennings et al. 鈥淎 Review of the State of LGBTQIA+ Student Research in STEM and Engineering Education鈥�,听NSF Public Access Repository, 01 Jan 2020.

听

[12]. ASCE.

听

[13]. Jensen, Cross. 鈥淓ngineering stress culture: Relationships among mental health, engineering identity, and sense of inclusion鈥�,听Journal of Engineering Education, 09 May 2021.

听

[14]. Marra et al. 鈥淟eaving Engineering: A Multi-Year Single Institution Study鈥�,听Journal of Engineering Education, 02 Jan 2013.

听

[15]. Lipson, Lattie, Eisenberg. 鈥淚ncreased Rates of Mental Health Service Utilization by U.S. College Students: 10-Year Population-Level Trends (2007鈥�2017)鈥�,听Psychiatric Services, 05 Nov 2018.

[16].听 AUCCCD 鈥淎nnual Survey for Reporting Period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025鈥�

听