STEM as "Minority": A Phenomenological Case Study of How Students of Color Perceive Their Experience in a STEM Living-Learning Program

Abstract

The future of the U.S. scientific workforce depends on graduating college students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. The completion rate of STEM students is a national concern, especially among students of color. This qualitative study examines the experiences of students of color in a living-learning program for STEM students. Five themes were discovered from students’ meaning-making. Four of the themes integrate well with existing literature. The fifth theme, STEM as Minority, was not found in the literature and is a new contribution to the field of knowledge on how environments can be purposed to support STEM students.