Latina college students’ experiences in STEM at Hispanic-Serving Institutions: framed within Latino critical race theory

Abstract

In the last 20 years, Latina undergraduate college students have increased their enrollment and degree attainment. However, in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines Latinas remain highly underrepresented. The study aims to gain more insight into the roles that peers, faculty, and family play in Latina students' persistence in STEM fields at two selected Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Using Latino Critical Race Theory, Latinas reflected on their experiences in male-dominated STEM disciplines.

Keywords:

• Latina college students
• STEM
• social justice
• Hispanic-serving institution

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hilda Cecilia Contreras Aguirre

Dr. Hilda Cecilia Contreras Aguirre, is an Adjunct Professor in the First-Year Learning Communities program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and a Visiting Scholar with the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies at The University of Houston. Her research interests include Latinas' performance in STEM, mentoring and advising, and minority students' persistence.

Elsa Gonzalez

Dr. Elsa Gonzalez, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the University of Houston. Her research interests include underrepresented students, Latina/o students, retention, and graduation in STEM fields; HSI institutions; higher education leadership; and methodological issues in crosslanguage qualitative data analysis.

Rosa Maria Banda

Dr. Rosa M. Banda, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Dr. Banda's primary research interests include: High achieving Latinas in engineering, Gifted Poor Students of Color, Faculty Diversity, and Qualitative Research.