WoC Persisting in STEM: Story of Strength

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:45 am - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Intersections of STEM and Females

Abstract

This study explores Women of Color’s (WoC) persistence in STEM through the narratives of two Black undergraduate biology students. Using Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1994) and Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005), we examine factors shaping their STEM persistence journey. Findings reveal that microsystems-family support, affinity groups, and STEM programs outside formal classrooms, fostered early aspirations and provided critical familial, aspirational, social, and navigational capital for persistence. In contrast, macrosystemic influences—including underrepresentation and the dominant white, masculine STEM culture—contributed to feelings of isolation and disconnection. Despite these challenges, participants exercised agency by leveraging cultural capital to navigate systemic barriers. The study emphasizes the need for structural reforms addressing macro-level inequities to build inclusive and supportive STEM pathways for WoC.

Authors

• Anina Mahmud, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Dionne Cross Francis, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill