Becoming STEM Professionals and Researchers: A Case Study of Minoritized Undergraduate Students’ STEM Internship Experiences

• In Event: College Student Well-Being, Socialization, and Identity

Abstract

While STEM internships are generally considered a valuable experience contributing to the learning and career development of undergraduate students in STEM fields, there has been limited understanding of the experiences of minoritized undergraduate students participating in STEM internships. To address the research gap in question, this study focuses on a group of minoritized undergraduate students participating in a summer STEM internship program. The qualitative analysis of the students’ stories demonstrates both the challenges faced by the students and their resilience to (re)articulate their aspirations, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy in STEM fields. The findings of the study hold significant implications for informing an asset-based approach to investigating how minoritized undergraduate students construct their STEM identities and navigate their STEM pursuits.

Authors

• Peng Yin, University of California - Berkeley

• Jue Wu, University of Florida

• Brianna Clark, University of California - Berkeley