By: Ava Boloyan and Isabella LaBonia

In reviewing the previously published literature surrounding Women of Color and their persistence in completing a STEM degree at the undergraduate level, it was found that such women often felt unwelcome and uncomfortable in the classroom setting. These feelings of discomfort were often associated with enrollment in a predominantly white institution (PWI), as such environments had lower percentages of students of color enrolled. Additionally, data, as shown below, highlights that women of color tend to earn the least at the same position as a white man, making completing a STEM degree appear as an insufficient investment for their future. Furthermore, studies found that these women also found it helpful to have a mentor who was also a woman throughout their undergraduate studies. One efficient policy amendment could be to instill early orientation programs for women who are prospective STEM majors entering college. Programs like these could match women with mentors and connect them to other students to create a sense of community on campus. If this topic is ignored in higher education, women of color will continue to lose interest or fail to complete their STEM degrees. However, with such policy amendments implemented, women of color will feel welcomed and connected with their peers and professors, making it more accessible for women to complete their STEM degrees. Throughout the research, two major questions come to find based on the patterns and issues observed within the topic. Our focus is on women of color in their undergraduate education experience, but the first pressing question is whether or not these results differ between specific races. With that as well, it would be interesting to discover how results differ from men of color, white men, and white women. The second question of interest would be how availability and quality of mentorship play a role in results.


These issues don’t impact either of us personally because we have not experienced them in our education as we are not women of color and also not focusing on STEM majors. However, we have seen the impacts it can have on some of our close friends and peers, and the general results mimic what we’ve observed in our institution and others.


Overall, some of the most interesting findings relate to how despite the higher likeliness of women of color in pursuing a STEM major, there’s a higher likeliness of dropping out. It is also evident the differences in the experiences of undergraduate education. This reveals discrepancies and societal barriers that we hope to work towards eliminating in the future.


The bar chart, featuring statistics from the Pew Research Center, highlights the earnings discrepancies between women of color, men of color, and Caucasians in the workplace. Black women tend to make only $57,000 compared to white men earning $90,000 for the same position. This infographic can be tied to the fact that many women of color fail to complete their STEM degree, as it provides lower earnings and may not view attaining a STEM degree as worthwhile.

Works Cited

Espinosa, L. (2011). Pipelines and pathways: Women of color in undergraduate STEM majors and the college experiences that contribute to persistence. Harvard Educational Review, 81(2), 209-241.

Ong, M., Smith, J. M., & Ko, L. T. (2018). Counterspaces for women of color in STEM higher education: Marginal and central spaces for persistence and success. Journal of research in science teaching, 55(2), 206-245.

Nadeem, Reem (2021). “STEM Jobs See Uneven Progress in Increasing Gender, Racial and Ethnic Diversity.” Pew Research Center Science & Society (blog).

Tate, E. D., & Linn, M. C. (2005). How does identity shape the experiences of women of color engineering students?. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 14(5), 483-493.

Johnson, D.R. (2012). Campus Racial Climate Perceptions and Overall Sense of Belonging Among Racially Diverse Women in STEM Majors. Journal of College Student Development 53(2), 336-346. doi:10.1353/csd.2012.0028.

Viveka Borum, & Erica Walker. (2012). What Makes the Difference? Black Women’s Undergraduate and Graduate Experiences in Mathematics. The Journal of Negro Education, 81(4), 366–378. https://doi.org/10.7709/jnegroeducation.81.4.0366