Minority Achievement Gaps in STEM

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Olszewski-Kubilius ◽  
Saiying Steenbergen-Hu ◽  
Dana Thomson ◽  
Rhoda Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Minority Students ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Grade Level ◽  
Ninth Grade ◽  
Achievement Gaps ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Minority Achievement ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Illinois Standards Achievement Test

This longitudinal study examined the outcomes of Project Excite on reducing minority students’ achievement gaps in STEM over 14 years. Project Excite was designed to provide intensive supplemental enrichment and accelerated programming for high-potential, underrepresented minority students from third through eighth grades to better prepare them for advanced math and science courses in high school. This study compared the performance of Project Excite participants with that of students from their local school districts and the state on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test, the Explore test, the Measures of Academic Progress, and on rates of placement in above-grade-level math courses in ninth grade. Project Excite participants consistently outperformed their Black, Latino, and low-income peers, and they came close to the performance levels of White, Asian, and non-low-income students. They were more likely to be placed in above-grade-level math courses than their minority peers in ninth grade.

scholarly journals The influence of expressive and instrumental social capital from parents on women and underrepresented minority students’ declaration and persistence in engineering majors

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Puccia ◽  
Julie P. Martin ◽  
Chrystal A. S. Smith ◽  
Gladis Kersaint ◽  
Rebecca Campbell-Montalvo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
White Women ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Engineering Majors ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Parental Encouragement ◽  
And Mathematics

Abstract Background Social capital, defined as the people one knows and the resources available through that network of people, has been a key variable in research examining the participation of women and underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This study focuses on two types of social capital: instrumental (concrete advice and resources) and expressive (emotional support and encouragement). The analysis of interviews with 55 White women and women and men underrepresented minority engineering undergraduate students shows how the instrumental and expressive social capital received from parents influenced their students’ declaration of and persistence in the engineering major. Within this analysis, we considered students’ transition to adulthood and the corresponding expectation that parents would still provide support but allow their children to independently determine their own paths. Results Participants shared the advice they received from people in their social networks, with the majority of participants highlighting parents as a major contributor of instrumental and expressive social capital. Instrumental social capital was helpful in students’ major declarations and offered them an opportunity to further develop their interests and aptitude in STEM as well as a pathway for obtaining an engineering degree. During the first year of their engineering major, students relied heavily on the expressive social capital of parents when considering whether to stay in engineering; parental encouragement of “you can do it” became a common resource. Conclusions These findings offer nuance to explanations of social capital’s influence on STEM degree major declaration and persistence, which often use deficit approaches. In highlighting the resources of social capital, especially expressive support, this work offers educators a new frame of reference for building upon the valuable advice offered by parents to their children completing engineering majors.

scholarly journals The Role of Altruistic Values in Motivating Underrepresented Minority Students for Biomedicine

BioScience ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dustin B. Thoman ◽  
Elizabeth R. Brown ◽  
Andrew Z. Mason ◽  
Allen G. Harmsen ◽  
Jessi L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Minority Students ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students

The Untold Stories of Black and Brown Student Experiences in Historically White Fraternities and Sororities

2019 ◽  
pp. 153-171
Author(s):  
Phillip Cockrell ◽  
Thomas Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Minority Students ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Historically White ◽  
Greek Letter ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
Sense Of Mattering ◽  
Greek Letter Organizations

This chapter will highlight the experiences of underrepresented minority students who are members of majority Greek-letter organizations at two institutions of higher learning located in the Midwest. The authors will explore the reasons why students joined majority Greek-letter organizations as opposed to those associated with their ethnicity/race. In addition, peer-to-peer perceptions, sense of mattering and belonging, and interest in upward mobility within their respective organizations will be examined.

Minority Recruitment and Retention Among Gifted Students

2017 ◽  
pp. 26-41
Author(s):  
Chandra A. Stallworth ◽  
Ken D. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Minority Students ◽  
Gifted Students ◽  
Underrepresented Minorities ◽  
Underrepresented Minority ◽  
Academic Goals ◽  
National Goal ◽  
Honors College ◽  
Underrepresented Minority Students ◽  
School Year

Consistent with the national goal implemented by our current government, Auburn University is also working to recruit and retain underrepresented minorities in higher education. The rationale for this is simple, that is to allow a greater advantage when competing against others. One of the ways to foster this competition is by nurturing our gifted underrepresented minority students. In the 2010-2011 school year, the Honors College, which serves as a gateway for underrepresented minority students, developed a distinct focus on helping our students reach and their educational/academic goals. Within this paper we will go over some of the steps we have begun to take to reach our goal, in addition to future plans we have to continue these efforts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document