The Transformative Power of STEM: Oral History Narratives of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Pursuing STEM Degrees

<p>This dissertation explores the transformative role of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education for formerly incarcerated individuals through oral history narratives, specifically focusing on narrators within California’s statewide initiatives at California State Universities’ Project Rebound, the University of California’s Underground Scholars, and California Community Colleges’ Rising Scholars programs. The United States' disproportionate incarceration rate, coupled with stark racial and gender disparities, underscores the need for educational pathways that facilitate successful reintegration into society. This research aims to document and analyze the experiences of individuals who navigate the complex landscape of higher education in STEM fields post-incarceration. By highlighting the narratives of formerly incarcerated individuals, the study seeks to challenge deficit perspectives, which are views that attribute the lack of educational success to individual shortcomings rather than systemic factors and contribute to a deeper understanding of education's role in fostering resilience, empowerment, and systemic change.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Education, PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Restricted to Claremont Colleges Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

School of Educational Studies

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Slee, Elisa Joan

Contributors dc:contributor

• JoAnna Poblete
• Rachel Camacho

• belonging
• formerly incarcerated
• higher education
• persistence
• STEM
• system-impacted
• Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgu_etd/969

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarship.claremont.edu:cgu_etd-1991