CAREER: Thriving in Context: Bridging Academic, Social, and Psychological Wellbeing among Black College Women to Increase STEM Retention (Broadening Participation and Persistence)

Academic motivation has received more attention regarding Black women’s STEM retention. Yet, psychosocial processes, particularly those tied to discrimination, are crucial to understanding how Black women navigate university contexts. What is less clear is under what conditions and in what ways, individual factors and institutional resources, operate as protective factors for Black women’s STEM retention. How might attention to social and psychological phenomenon shed light on academic motivation and STEM retention among Black women? The present CAREER proposal draws on an integrated program of research and education to: (1) focus specifically on how, in addition to academic ability, social and psychological wellbeing are largely neglected, but powerful influences on Black women’s STEM retention; (2) investigate key moderators of the relationships between Black women’s perceptions of institutional climate and STEM persistence; and (3) explore how Black women cultivate networks of personal and institutional support to offset identity-based marginalization and thrive. This work was supported by the Developmental Sciences program and the Education and Human Resources Core Research program. The project includes two phases of research and an educational plan that will benefit a range of stakeholders, including educators, scholars, and community organizations. The first phrase involves mixed methodological data collection with annual surveys and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Black undergraduate women at two local institutions (PWI and HBCU) over a 4-year period. The second phase involves design-based research with administrators at both universities to develop a comprehensive set of practical resources for future cohorts of Black undergraduate women. The current study will expand developmental theories of college student adjustment to create a student thriving framework that examines individual and institutional-level factors as key aspects of STEM achievement and retention. In addition, the findings will inform institutional efforts on helping Black women thrive in STEM contexts, and use a multi-tiered approach with Black women STEM majors, faculty in STEM departments, and university leaders. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.