The Crucial Roles of Campus Representation and Sense of Belonging of Undergraduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

Black and Latine students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs are switching majors and dropping out of college at higher rates than their white peers, highlighting systemic barriers and inequities that need to be addressed. The current study aimed to understand potential psychosocial pathways that contribute to poor retention of Black and Latine students in STEM relative to their white peers. Undergraduate students (N = 489, 55.60% women, 39.30% Black and/or Latine) in an introductory biology course at a public American university completed a cross-sectional survey which assessed their academic experiences. Black and Latine students reported lower levels of sense of belonging, perceptions of diversity, and academic confidence than their white peers. Path analysis revealed that greater perceptions of diversity on campus predicted greater sense of belonging for both groups. For Black and Latine students, a sense of belonging was negatively associated with intentions to leave the university and STEM, but positively associated with academic confidence. White students reported similar patterns except there was no significant association between sense of belonging and leaving their STEM major. We discuss how academic administrators and institutions can help retain Black and Latine students in STEM.