Persistence of Latinas in STEM at an R1 Higher Education Institution in Texas

Abstract

Spanish

This study examined the success and persistence of Latina students in the complex environment of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at a Tier 1 Research higher education institution in Texas. For this qualitative study, 10 Latina students pursuing STEM majors were interviewed within a framework focusing on Greene’s resilience theory. Results of this study suggest a strong likelihood for Latinas to succeed in STEM fields because of their development of resilience.

Keywords

Latina STEM students persistence resilience

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ainsworth

M. D.

(1989). Attachments beyond infancy. American Psychologist, 44(4), 709–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.44.4.709

Banda

R. M.

(2012). Perceptions of social support networks and climate in the persistence of Latinas pursuing an undergraduate engineering degree [Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. (Order No. 3537067)

Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. (2019). 2018 update facts and figures [Data set]. http://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/downloads/CCIHE2018-FactsFigures.pdf.

Castellanos

(2018). Examining Latinas’ STEM career decision-making process: A psychosociocultural approach. The Journal of Higher Education, 89(4), 527–552. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2018.1435133

Cavazos

J. J.

Johnson

M. B.

Sparrow

G. S.

(2010). Overcoming personal and academic challenges: Perspectives from Latina/o college students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 9(4), 304–316. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192710380744

Cerezo

A. C.

(2014). Giving voice: Utilizing critical race theory to facilitate consciousness of racial identity for Latina/o college students. Journal for Social Action in Counseling & Psychology, 5(3), 1–24.

Coger

R. N.

Cuny

Klawe

McGann

Purcell

K. D.

(2013, October 29). Why STEM fields still don’t draw more women. The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://www.chronicle.com/article/Why-STEM-Fields-Still-Dont/135302

Contreras Aguirre

H. C.

(2019). Exploring Latina STEM college student success at southern Hispanic serving higher education institutions (Publication No. 13856315) [Doctoral Dissertation, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

Danek

J. C.

Nivet

(2016, November 22). Building a diverse STEM workforce. Inside Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/11/22/how-colleges-can-increase-diversity-stem-fields-essay

10.

Excelencia in Education. (2015). The condition of Latinos in education: 2015 factbook [Data set]. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED571548.pdf

11.

Excelencia in Education. (2019). Latinos in higher education: Compilation of fast facts. https://www.edexcelencia.org/research/publications/latinos-higher-education-compilation-fast-facts

12.

Gloria

A. M.

Castellanos

(2012). Desafíos y Bendiciones: A Multiperspective Examination of the Educational Experiences and Coping Responses of First-Generation College Latina Students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 11, 82–99. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192711430382

13.

Gloria

A. M.

Rodriguez

E. R.

(2000). Counseling Latino university students: Psycho-sociocultural issues for consideration. Journal of Counseling & Development, 78, 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2000.tb02572.x

14.

Gonzales

L. D.

(2012). Stories of success: Latinas redefining cultural capital. Journal of Latinos and Education, 11(2), 124–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348431.2012.659566

15.

Gonzalez

A. J.

(2013, May 11). A life of science was in the cards. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/12/jobs/lessons-from-mom-serve-a-yale-professor-well.html

16.

Grasgreen

(2013). Strategy for women in STEM. Inside Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/11/20/project-based-learning-could-help-attract-and-retain-women-stem-study-suggests

17.

Greene

R. R.

(2002). Resilience: Theory and research for social work practice. NASW Press.

18.

Greene

R. R.

Galambos

Lee

(2004). Resilience theory: Theoretical and professional conceptualizations. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 8(4), 75–91. https://doi.org/10.1300/j137v08n04_05

19.

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. (2017). HACU list of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) 2015-16 [Data set]. http://www.hacu.net/images/hacu/OPAI/2015_HSI_List.pdf

20.

Hurtado

Carter

D.F.

(1997). Effects of College Transition and Perceptions of the Campus Racial Climate on Latino College Students’ Sense of Belonging. Sociology of Education, 70(4), 324–345.

21.

Kapoulitsas

Corcoran

(2015). Compassion fatigue and resilience: A qualitative analysis of social work practice. Qualitative Social Work, 14(1), 86–101. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325014528526

22.

Lincoln

Y. S.

Guba

E. G.

(1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE.

23.

Marshall

Case

(2010). Rethinking ‘disadvantage in higher education: A paradigmatic case study using narrative analysis. Studies in Higher Education, 35(5), 491–504. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070903518386

24.

McMillan

J. H.

Reed

D. F.

(1994). At-risk students and resiliency: Factors contributing to academic success. Clearing House, 67, 137–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.1994.9956043

25.

National Science Foundation. (2016). Higher education in science and engineering. In science and engineering indicators [Data set]. https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2016/nsb20161/uploads/1/12/chapter-2.pdf

26.

Obama

(2011). Winning the future: Improving education for the Latino community [Data set]. https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/hispanic-initiative/winning-the-future-improving-education-latino-community.pdf

27.

O’Brien

l Garcia

Adams

Villalobos

Hammer

Gilbert

(2015). The threat of sexism in a STEM educational setting: The moderating impacts of ethnicity and legitimacy beliefs on test performance. Social Psychology of Education, 18(4), 667–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-015-9310-1

28.

Ong

Wright

Espinosa

L. L.

Orfield

(2011). Inside the double bind: A synthesis of empirical research on undergraduate and graduate women of color in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Harvard Education Review, 81(2), 172–201. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.81.2.t022245n7x4752v2

29.

Patton

M. Q.

(2015). Qualitative research and evaluation methods: Integration theory and practice (4th ed.). SAGE.

30.

Peralta

C. C.

Caspary

Boothe

(2013). Success factors impacting Latina/o persistence in higher education leading to STEM opportunities. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 8(4), 905–918. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-013-9520-9

31.

Perez Huber

Cueva

B. M.

(2012). Chicana/Latina testimonios on effects and responses to microaggressions. Equity & Excellence in Education, 45, 392–410. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2012.698193

32.

Pew Hispanic Center. (2009). Between two worlds: How young Latinos come of age in America [Data set]. https://www.colorincolorado.org/research/between-two-worlds-how-young-latinos-come-age-america

33.

Pollack

(2013, October 3). Why are there still so few women in science? The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/magazine/why-are-there-still-so-few-women-in-science.html

34.

Rosbottom

S. R.

(2016). Engineering success: Undergraduate Latina women's persistence in an undergraduate engineering program [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at San Antonio]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. (Order No. 10245016)

35.

Ruiz

E. C.

(2013). Motivating Latina doctoral students in STEM disciplines. New Directions for Higher Education, 163, 35–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/he.20063

36.

Santiago

Taylor

Galdeano

(2015). Finding your workforce: Latinos in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM): linking college completion with US workforce needs: 2012-13. https://www.voced.edu.au/content/ngv:68706

37.

Saunders

Serna

(2004). Making college happen: The college experiences of first-generation Latino students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 3, 146–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192703262515

38.

Schoon

(2015). Explaining persisting gender inequalities in aspirations and attainment: An integrative developmental approach. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 7(2), 151–165.

39.

Steele

(1994). Intergenerational patterns in attachment. In Bartholomew

Perlman

(Eds.), Attachment in adulthood: Advances in personal relationships (Vol. 5). Jessica Kingsley. 93–120.

40.

Stevenson

A. D.

Martínez

A. J. G.

Brkich

K. L.

Flores

B. B.

Claeys

Pitts

(2017). Latinas’ heritage language as a source of resiliency: Impact on academic achievement in STEM fields. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 14, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-016-9789-6

41.

Stewart

Reid

Mangham

(1997). Fostering children’s resilience. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 12, 21–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0882-5963(97)80018-8

42.

Tinto

(2016, September 26). From retention to persistence. Inside Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/09/26/how-improve-student-persistence-and-completion-essay

43.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2017). The nation’s older population is still growing, Census Bureau Reports (CB17-100). https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2017/cb17-100.html

44.

Vaca

M. E.

(2016). Student engagement: Factors affecting the academic performance and persistence of Hispanic women in STEM [Doctoral dissertation, University of Miami]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. (Order No. 10251718)

45.

Villa

E. Q.

Wandermurem

Hampton

E. M.

Esquinca

(2016). Engineering education through the Latina lens. Journal of Education and Learning, 5(4), 113–125. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1113767.pdf

46.

Yosso

T. J.

(2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race Ethnicity and Education, 8(1), 69–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006

47.

Zell

M. C.

(2010). Achieving a college education: The psychological experiences of Latina/o community college students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 9(2), 167–186. https://doi.org/10.1177/1538192709343102