Black Women With STEM Associate's Degrees: Why So Few?

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 32
  In Roundtable Session: Examining Gender in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

Abstract

This study seeks to fill a void about Black women’s graduation rates in STEM fields at Florida College System institutions by using data from the IPEDS 2001 and 2009 databases, as well as the 2004-2009 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study. The IPEDS STEM 2001 and 2009 datasets were used to generate descriptive statistics while inferential analysis was conducted using the 2004-2009 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study. Results evidenced that community colleges in Florida, on average, were not improving in their ability to graduate Black female students in STEM majors over the years 2001 to 2009. While a few institutions saw increases, some FCS institutions saw declines. Other FCS colleges evidenced no change in graduation rates.

Author

• Sophia Glenyse Rahming, Florida State University