Persistence of Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Fields: Are Summer Bridge Programs Sufficient?

Abstract

Disparities in undergraduate STEM degree completion across different racial/ethnic groups have been a topic of increasing national concern. This study investigates the long-term outcomes of a STEM intervention program designed to increase the academic preparation, achievement and persistence of under-represented minority students.In particular, this study examines the extent to which participation in a STEM intervention program can impact the long-term persistence and graduation of first-time in college under-represented minority students. Using discrete-time competing risks analysis, results demonstrated that participants of the intervention program had a lower probability of drop out and higher probability of persisting in a STEM field of study compared to non-participants of the program. Additionally, descriptive results demonstrated that participants of the STEM intervention program had higher rates of graduation in any field compared to non-participants of the program, while program participation was not a significant predictor of six-year graduation. Findings highlight the importance of early academic preparation in Calculus and total credit accumulation to student success outcomes of URM students enrolled in STEM fields. Recommendations from this study focus on early intervention efforts, particularly in the areas of mathematics, that ensure URM students are adequately prepared with the skills needed to succeed in a STEM field of study.