"It Was Hard, and It Still Is...": Women of Color Navigating Hispanic-Serving Institution STEM Transfer Pathways

• In Event: 43.079 - Sheraton Roundtable Session Six - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 43.079-3 - Student Success at Minority-Serving Institutions

Abstract

Immersed in disciplinary cultures, historically characterized as predominantly White and male, competitive, economic-driven, and prioritizing individual advancement, women of color continue to be underrepresented in STEM fields. This study employs an intersectional lens to highlight the narratives of 21 women of color who attended Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and successfully transferred from community college to four-year institutions in STEM. During focus group and follow-up video interviews, women of color in our sample discussed their gendered and racialized experiences within STEM disciplines and across multiple institutional contexts. Findings shed light on the inequities that continue to pervade STEM and the opportunities for transforming disciplinary and institutional contexts, particularly HSIs, to support, validate, and benefit from the unique contributions of women of color.

Authors

• Felisha Herrera, San Diego State University

• Victoria Rodriguez-Operana, San Diego State University

• Gabriela Kovats Sanchez, San Diego State University

• Aileen Cerrillos, San Diego State University

• Briana Marquez, San Diego State University