STEM Belonging Among Language Minority Undergraduates

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Trust, Mentorship, and Belonging for Minoritized and Underserved Students in STEM (Table 33)

Abstract

We sought to understand whether multilingualism and use of translanguaging relates to perception of college belonging in STEM disciplines among students in the linguistic minority (LM), those who speak a non-dominant language . We compared perceptions of belonging and intent to pursue STEM careers between first-year LM undergraduates (n = 36) and monolingual English students (n = 21). We found perception of membership and trust supported STEM career intent, and those with more stress and worry about STEM had stronger STEM career intent. There were no differences in career intent or dimensions of belonging between LM and English monolingual students, suggesting that multilingual practices do not hinder undergraduates’ sense of membership in STEM or determination to pursue STEM careers.

Authors

• Sarah M. Bonner, Hunter College - CUNY

• Valerie M. Cosgriff, Hunter College - CUNY