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Shaping Possible Selves: The Influence of Internships on Women's Career Paths in Computing.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Shaping Possible Selves: The Influence of Internships on Women's Career Paths in Computing.
Authors: Wu, Jue, Smith, Katie N.
Source: American Educational Research Journal; Jun2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p650-684, 35p
Subject Terms: Internship programs, Self-perception, Minorities, Women engineers, Impostor phenomenon, Vocational guidance, Human behavior
Abstract: Although internships are common, few studies examine how these applied experiences shape undergraduate students' self-concept, especially for minoritized groups such as women in computing. Using a possible selves framework and qualitative data collected before, during, and after women's computing internships, this study illustrates how participants constructed and updated concepts of their ought, feared, and ideal selves. Specifically, findings show how participants actualized ought selves driven by social expectations and peer cultures; navigated feared selves related to imposter phenomenon, loneliness, and unfavored career paths; and experimented with ideal selves through committing to career values and acting as agents for change. Findings offer implications for institutions and hiring organizations, with an aim toward promoting equity and opportunity in computing fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of American Educational Research Journal is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Complementary Index
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  Data: Shaping Possible Selves: The Influence of Internships on Women's Career Paths in Computing.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wu%2C+Jue%22">Wu, Jue</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Smith%2C+Katie+N%2E%22">Smith, Katie N.</searchLink>
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  Data: American Educational Research Journal; Jun2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p650-684, 35p
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Internship+programs%22">Internship programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-perception%22">Self-perception</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minorities%22">Minorities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Women+engineers%22">Women engineers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Impostor+phenomenon%22">Impostor phenomenon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocational+guidance%22">Vocational guidance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+behavior%22">Human behavior</searchLink>
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  Data: Although internships are common, few studies examine how these applied experiences shape undergraduate students' self-concept, especially for minoritized groups such as women in computing. Using a possible selves framework and qualitative data collected before, during, and after women's computing internships, this study illustrates how participants constructed and updated concepts of their ought, feared, and ideal selves. Specifically, findings show how participants actualized ought selves driven by social expectations and peer cultures; navigated feared selves related to imposter phenomenon, loneliness, and unfavored career paths; and experimented with ideal selves through committing to career values and acting as agents for change. Findings offer implications for institutions and hiring organizations, with an aim toward promoting equity and opportunity in computing fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: Abstract
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of American Educational Research Journal is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – SubjectFull: Minorities
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              Text: Jun2026
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