Answering the call: An evaluation of the Educate to Innovate campaign’s efforts to increase and diversify science, technology, engineering, and mathematics college graduates

Abstract

Increasing and diversifying STEM college graduates, and consequently the STEM workforce, remains a pressing national priority. As such, the purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the Educate to Innovate campaign within higher education. Using preexisting public survey data together with interrupted and comparative interrupted time series techniques, this inquiry aimed to determine whether STEM education has been rejuvenated and broadened or if there remains work to be done. Results ultimately showed that the campaign exerted a statistically significant positive effect on the trend of STEM college graduates. However, no significant difference in the trend between STEM college graduates who are women and STEM college graduates who are men or between minority and nonminority STEM college graduates was observed. Such comprehension is both timely and useful as individuals and organizations along with federal, state, and local policymakers continue to refine and tailor the development of future STEM education interventions.