Border Crossings: A Narrative Framework for Interventions Aimed at Improving URM and First-Generation College Student Retention in STEM
Abstract
This volume contains several useful reports of “what works”: descriptions of specific interventions for improving STEM major retention of under-represented minority (URM) groups. In this chapter we focus on what is known about why these interventions work based on three major considerations of the lived URM and first-generation student experience in college STEM programs: preparation for rigorous college coursework, student identity and self-efficacy with science, and cultural congruence with the institution and department. Rather than describing these from a theoretical framework, these ideas are discussed using a narrative framework of border crossings. We hope this framework provides a useful means of planning and assessing interventions aimed at improving persistence for under-represented groups.
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Cessna et al. (2018) contend that higher education leaders and scholars should conduct more research on what types of interventions work to prepare marginalized STEM students to do well in rigorous college coursework, instill confidence and agency to succeed, and facilitate feelings of belonging with the institution and specific major.
“Cessna et al. (2018) contend that higher education leaders and scholars should conduct more research on what types of interventions work to prepare marginalized STEM students to do well in rigorous college coursework, instill confidence and agency to succeed, and facilitate feelings of belonging with the institution and specific major.”
From The Importance of STEM Sense of Belonging and Academic Hope in Enhancing Persistence for Low-Income, Underrepresented STEM Students (2024) · cites this paper as Cessna et al. (2018)
Cites
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Hansen, M. J., Palakal, M. J., & White, L. (2024) · Journal for STEM Education Research · doi:10.1007/s41979-023-00096-8 · Cited by 138 · see citing works
- Authors
- Cessna, S., Leaman, L., & Britt, L.
- Affiliations
- Eastern Mennonite University (US)
- Department of Education Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802, United States
- James Madison University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cessna, Stephen
- Venue
- ACS Symposium Series
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society
- Published
- 2018-01
- Pages
- 3-16
- ISSN
- 0097-6156 (ISSN-L)
- 1947-5918
- OpenAlex
- W2899003978
- Cited by
- 5
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 1.34
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ACS symposium series (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Colby College
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
- Social Sciences › Education › Higher Education Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Critical Race Theory in Education
- Keywords
- border crossing, underrepresented minority students, first-generation college students, STEM retention, student persistence, intervention effectiveness, science self-efficacy, student identity, cultural congruence, narrative framework
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