Chapter 20: Retention of Latina Stem Students in Texas: Exploring the Experiences That Should Be Considered

My journey as a scholar in the United States, started 16 years ago, when I started my doctoral degree; since then the idea of work–life balance has become so natural for me Through the years, I have become a wife, a mother, and a faculty member … all of those roles intertwined to become who I am, and who I am interested in personally, and as scholar.

A couple of years ago, as I was recruiting undergraduate students for the purpose of mentoring them in conducting research activities. I became aware of how Latina students face specific challenges that perhaps other students do not face. These students had challenges because they were women and Latinas; in addition, the students that I became familiar with were pursuing their degrees in the STEM fields.