274: Using Journey Mapping to Evaluate an S-STEM Scholarship Program

This demonstration will showcase a “journey mapping” approach used to evaluate a National Science Foundation S-STEM Scholarship program supporting low-income, high-achieving STEM students. Journey mapping is a person-centered, system-thinking approach in which stakeholders create visual maps that capture their experiences over time. In this session, I will describe how I adapted this technique to center student voice, explore each student’s individual development, and understand the impact of financial, academic, and mentoring supports provided by the program. I will share our data collection and analysis processes, including how I worked with students to interpret their maps, and present examples of the visual and thematic findings that emerged. Attendees will leave with practical guidance on how to use journey mapping in their own evaluations, particularly those seeking to elevate participant experiences, capture complex journeys, and support equity-focused, student-centered evaluation practices.