Are Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Texas Serving Latinas in STEM?

• In Event: Servingness in STEM Education for Latina/o/é/x/* Students Across Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Abstract

There is a recognizable need to diversify the STEM fields, yet the U.S. continues to see underrepresentation of specific racial/ethnic groups (Black, Indigenous, and Latinx) and women among these fields (NSF, 2021). Yet, the assets that unique communities of color bring to higher education have not been well-studied. The culture of Latinx college students is intrinsically connected and shows up when they enter certain spaces, such as the STEM academic space. They may anchor their STEM identities through an emphasis on community membership instead of individualism or by “proving others wrong” and thus tapping into their resistant capital (Rincón & Rodriguez, 2021). Such cultural assets are particularly relevant among first-generation Latinx college students, compared to their continuing-generation counterparts (Rincón et al., 2020).

Latinas make up less than 2% of the STEM workforce (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019). It is important to examine the intersection of gender and ethnic identity. As minoritized women in STEM, Latinas experience STEM contexts in a unique way, partly through the cultural background and values that they bring to the higher education experience. In a study of Latinx students overcoming a challenge, Morgan Consoli et al. (2015) showed that compared to Latino men, Latinas reported greater “thriving” (such as a positive attitude) after overcoming a self-reported adversity. Yet, while Latinas enroll in college at higher rates than Latinos, they are less likely to earn a STEM degree than Latino men (Excelencia in Education, 2015).

The following is a qualitative study that uses an emerging model of Latinx resilience (BLIND) to describe and understand Latina students in STEM at research-intensive HSIs in Texas, one of several states that have a high concentration of HSIs (Excelencia in Education, 2020). This study is also guided by Garcia and colleagues’ (2019) Multidimensional Conceptual Framework for Understanding Servingness in HSIs as nonacademic outcomes need to be considered as indicators of servingness. The research questions are: 1) What role does resilience, as influenced by culture, background, and family and community support, play in Latinas’ pursuits and completion of a college degree in STEM? 2) How do social climate experiences influence Latina students’ resilience in STEM?

Preliminary findings reveal that close communities through peer networks, student organizations, and family influence (particularly supportive parents) promote Latina student resilience, which supports previous qualitative research about Latinas in STEM (BLIND). Even when family may not have been a source of great support, several participants were additionally motivated to persist in their STEM degree for the sake of family. Therefore, communal goals and support were a dominant pattern. Findings suggest that cultural assets can inform policy on how Latina undergraduates succeed in attaining STEM degrees, particularly in a HSI context.

Authors

• Elsa M. Gonzalez, National Science Foundation
  Presenting Author

• Emma Claudia Perez, Texas A&M University
  Presenting Author