Abstract
This study explores how minority community college students who participated in in a structured science research program, perceived the program’s effectiveness in trying to mitigate the unique challenges they face as minorities pursuing science careers. Through qualitative interviews with a convenience sample of six, the researcher sought to understand from the student’s standpoint how/if participation in the program helped mitigate the challenges they faced and continue to face as minorities pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees, both in and outside of the classroom. Guided by Tinto’s retention model (1975) and Bourdieu’s (1977) concept of cultural capital, this study attempts to elucidate how institutional support affects students’ intention to persist, sense of belonging, identity, and ability to negotiate the distinct set of challenges they face as minority students. To this end, the researcher hopes to elicit findings that can guide institutions in their effort to recruit, retain, and graduate greater numbers of minority STEM majors.