Chapter 4: Different Worlds: A Picture of STEM Mentorships at PWIs and HBCUs

In order to maintain its authority in science and technology, the U.S. is in need of more individuals who can work in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. College graduation metrics show that 300,000 STEM degrees are awarded annually from colleges and universities in the United States; however, researchers project a need for a 34% annual increase in the amount of STEM undergraduate degrees conferred to meet the increasing demand of jobs in these sectors (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology [PCAST], 2012). Given the need for a 34% annual job demand increase, colleges and universities need to attract and retain more students into STEM programs. To date, Black students are a reservoir of potential human capital that has yet to be fully accessed. Low enrollment and retention of Black students in STEM undergraduate and postgraduate degrees is an issue highlighted by researchers (Myers & Pavel, 2011). While awareness of this problem has heightened, Black students are still vastly underrepresented when it comes to graduation rates and job placements in STEM fields (Chen, Ingram, & Davis, 2014).