Inclusive and Culturally Relevant Mentorship for Underrepresented Minoritized Adolescents in STEM

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Inclusive Practices for Mentoring (Table 3)

Abstract

Drawing on cross-disciplinary perspectives of inclusion, culturally relevant education, mentorship, and practice architectures, this study explores and describes inclusive and culturally relevant mentorship (ICRM) practices for underrepresented minoritized (URM) adolescents in STEM. Results from analyzing the interview data with 18 near-peer mentors for URM adolescents in the Southwestern US reveal four major ICRM practices for URM mentees in promoting their belonging, identity, and cultural competence in STEM, including: (1) actively engaging with each URM mentee individually, (2) facilitating peer relationships among all URM mentees, (3) recognizing and validating STEM abilities of each URM mentee, and (4) promoting positive cultural narratives in STEM for URM mentees. The findings have important implications for mentorship training and research on broadening participation in STEM.

Authors

• Kahli Hedrick-Romano, Claremont Graduate University

• Guan Saw, Claremont Graduate University

• Luis E. Montero Moguel, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Michelle Torres Garza, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Vicki Lynton, Alamo Colleges - Northwest Vista College

• Ryan Culbertson, Texas Tech University

• Joel Alejandro Mejia, University of Cincinnati

• George Brock Williams, Texas Tech University