No abstract

Addressing Latinx student underrepresentation in STEM requires an assets-based reimagining of STEM experiences and pathways that facilitate student success. Drawing on data from two qualitative studies of Latinx students pursuing STEM majors, findings reveal that Latinx students draw on at least six distinct forms of cultural assets to facilitate their, and at times their peers’, persistence in STEM. Latinx students then utilize these cultural assets to develop culturally grounded understandings of themselves as STEM individuals.

No abstract

Across nine public research universities, 391 women majoring in engineering responded to a survey about the departmental climate for women. The survey focused on whether the presence of STEM interventions in the form of supplemental programs designed to attract and retain underrepresented students enhanced women students' sense of belonging. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that being a Black female, lower self-efficacy, and less social support predicted the students' perceptions of a more negative departmental climate. Participation in supplemental programs had no statistically significant effect. (16 ref)-Higher Education and Student Affairs, University of Connecticut.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Background/Context Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations account for the second-fastest growing sector in the United States. As racial and ethnic “minorities” become the college-age majority, there is a need to facilitate access and success for Students of Color in STEM fields. Purpose The present study seeks to investigate the ways in which important others shape the initial educational and career aspirations of Students of Color pursuing STEM pathways. Research Design This study draws on a mixed-methods research design using both survey and interview data to investigate similar and different facets of the college and career decision-making processes for Students of Color in STEM fields. Results Findings from this study suggest that as Students of Color narrow their decisions to attend college, select a STEM major, and pursue a STEM career, the network of people who influence these decisions widens beyond parents and family members to include K-12 teachers and other institutional agents. This network, then, activates, nurtures, and/or extends the community cultural wealth for Students of Color entering STEM pathways. Conclusion/Recommendations Our findings suggest that at every decision-making point (e.g., going to college, selecting a STEM major, and pursuing a STEM career), family members (e.g., parents, siblings, and extended family) directly or indirectly shaped the STEM pathways of Students of Color. As such, we argue that families cannot be ignored in the pursuit toward diversifying the STEM workforce.