Exploring the journey of seven Black women: How supplemental STEM learning impacts pursuing STEM majors at a predominantly White institution

Black women are universally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In order to investigate the disproportionate representation, the lived experiences of Black women who pursue STEM majors is important to explore. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of Black women STEM undergraduates on the nature and role of supplemental learning spaces (a) during their girlhoods and (b) in their decision to enter a STEM field, in addition of the influence(s) of pre-college experiences on their aspirations to pursue collegiate studies. Increasing opportunities for the exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has become a priority for higher education institutions as they try to meet the demands of the workforce, keep a competitive edge in recruiting the most diverse student bodies, and prepare students for active engagement in a democratic society (Gurin, et. al, 2002). Before students identify their desire to pursue STEM in their collegiate journeys, their participation in learning spaces and environments extracurricular to their time in structured classrooms may be the roles that led them to their college major pursuits. Though supplemental learning spaces could be a factor in Black collegiate women pursuing such majors, the roles people in their lives and their environments may also influence their decisions to choose these majors. While existing research explores supplemental spaces individually, this study explores the roles supplemental spaces and additional influences have on motivating Black women in STEM majors.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Gulley, Adrienne Monique

Contributors dc:contributor

• Zamani-Gallaher, Eboni
• Span, Christopher
• Hood, Denice
• Dyson, Anne

• Stem
• Black Women
• Supplemental Learning
• Girlhood
• Schlossberg's Transition Theory
• Critical Race Feminism
• Stem Students
• Stem Identity
• Intersectionality

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Adrienne Gulley

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/124571

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F124571