Poster #89 - Translating NSF Broadening Participation Priorities into Practice: The Role of Multi-Level Mentorship in STEM

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

Broadening participation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) remains a persistent challenge, particularly as efforts to diversify the workforce often outpace progress in retention (National Science Foundation, 2019). Within this context, mentorship is a strategy for advancing equity in STEM, aligning with the National Science Foundation's (NSF) emphasis on broadening participation within its funding priorities. Research studies highlight the importance of multi-level mentorship models that include peer, near-peer, and faculty mentorship to support the development and persistence of underrepresented students in STEM (Aikens et al., 2016; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2019; Tenenbaum et al., 2014). This study is guided by Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) (Lent et al., 1994) and Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST) (Spencer, 1997) to examine how mentorship experiences shape sense of belonging and persistence among underrepresented minority (URM) students in STEM. SCCT emphasizes the role of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and social supports in shaping career trajectories, while PVEST centers on how individuals interpret and respond to contextual experiences in identity development. This study asks: (1) How do URM undergraduate and doctoral fellows describe their mentorship experiences? and (2) How do these experiences influence their sense of belonging in STEM? Using a qualitative grounded theory approach, data were collected through six focus groups with URM undergraduate and doctoral fellows participating in a STEM fellowship program based at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The program included 18 doctoral fellows and 6 undergraduate fellows, organized into six mentoring groups, each consisting of one faculty mentor, three doctoral fellows, and one undergraduate fellow. Faculty mentors represented STEM and social science disciplines. Fellows were recruited using criterion sampling to identify students enrolled in STEM or social science programs across multiple institutions, primarily HBCUs. Focus group data were used to examine fellows’ meaning-making across mentoring relationships. Data were analyzed using constant comparative methods, including open and axial coding, to identify patterns across faculty, peer, and near-peer mentorship experiences. Findings indicate that mentorship—as a multi-level, relational process—fosters belonging through consistent interaction, shared expertise, and mutual support. Fellows described faculty mentorship as providing structure, accountability, and access to institutional knowledge, while peer and near-peer mentorship fostered collaboration, relatability, and reciprocal learning. These experiences enhanced research confidence and skill development, with some fellows noting influences on their research interests and career considerations. Findings align with SCCT by demonstrating how social supports enhance self-efficacy and with PVEST by illustrating how fellows interpret mentorship experiences as affirming their place within STEM. Implications suggest that multi-level mentorship structures can serve as a method to execute NSF broadening participation priorities by addressing both academic development and identity-based needs. Designing mentorship programs that intentionally integrate faculty, peer, and near-peer relationships may strengthen belonging and persistence among URM students in STEM. This study contributes to policy and practice by providing empirical evidence on how mentorship can be structured to support more inclusive STEM pathways and inform future program development.

Author

• Manisha Maurya, Georgia State University
  Presenting Author