Chapter 11: Underserved and Underrepresented College Students’ Resilience During Covid-19

This chapter investigates the resilience and academic focus of undergraduate STEM students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Alabama Black Belt region during the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition to online learning impacted instruction quality, leading to academic challenges for students. However, implementing a mentoring Bridge Model supported and positively influenced students’ ability to balance responsibilities, academic performance, and confidence in remote work. Social issues, peer relations, and time management emerged as significant predictors of resilience. These findings can improve instructional methods, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.