This project has expanded what is known about institutional identity of Hispanic-serving community colleges (HSCCs), particularly in terms of cultural congruence and dissonance regarding person-environment fit and its impact on Hispanic students' satisfaction, matriculation, and success in STEM pathways. An intriguing finding emerged about the relationship between institutional identity, student demographics, and completion rates within distinct STEM programs of study. The results highlighted gaps and nuances, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between institutional labeling and the actual culture, policies, and practices that promote URM (Underrepresented Minority) STEM persistence.

The case study data revealed a gap between the language used by faculty and their actual practices. It revealed contradictions in race-conscious work based on equity and culturally sustaining practices that recognize the historical legacies of oppression. These approaches include offering students diverse, tailored wraparound services and supports designed to address their unique success needs. The project raised broader implications for developing DEI training opportunities for community college faculty, as such professional development could significantly enhance the ability of many faculty and staff to gain the necessary cultural competencies, expertise, and skills to better support students of color, particularly Latinx adult learners. We found anti-Black attitudes emerged among some faculty. More research is needed to understand how anti-Blackness affects campus climate and student success, important for Hispanic serving community colleges, which unwittingly may not mitigate racial disparities. While Latinx faculty supported the HSI designation, white and Black faculty were less enthusiastic due to fairness concerns between groups, showing a misunderstanding about HSI designated funding.

Our study's data mining of IPEDS and ELS datasets revealed that HSCCs are underexplored as pathways for STEM and their role in credentialing pathways. Since 2005, the number of HSCCs has increased; Overall, institutions serving large numbers of Hispanic students have grown significantly. In particular, analysis of IPEDS data highlighted state-specific differences in STEM fields and outcomes (e.g., HSCCs in Texas showed slightly higher biology degrees among women of color, while Illinois saw more interdisciplinary studies degrees awarded). This raises additional questions about the impact of these programs on STEM pathways and workforce. Additionally, we noted significant disparities in STEM degree attainment by race and gender, particularly for women of color relative to how private for-profit institutions compare to public ones in supporting racially minoritized students.

Key outcomes or other achievements: Completion of 10 research briefs with quantitative data: Based on the master institutional data accomplished in Phase 1, the research team has published research briefs -- eight states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, and Texas), and Puerto Rico. The vast majority of HSCCs are in these regions, all of which have significant Latinx populations. For instance, California, Texas, and Florida together accounted for 65.7% of HSCCs in the data. Each research brief included comprehensive descriptive analyses to identify patterns or trends regarding issues or contexts of STEM degree attainment at HSCCs. This environmental scan highlighted the critical role of HSCCs in awarding STEM degrees to Latinx students, other students of color, and women of color. The top contributing STEM fields identified were interdisciplinary studies (20,292; 37.84%), computer and information sciences (10,745; 20.04%), and engineering technologies (9,187; 17.13%) among 11 STEM fields designated by the NSF Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. There are evident race and gender gaps in STEM fields nationwide. Among 427,081 degrees conferred at community colleges, STEM degrees account for 12.56% (52,929). Whites earned 44.13% of STEM degrees, followed by Latinxs at 28%, Asians at 10.27% and Blacks at 8.10%. In terms of gender, there is a substantial gap. Although women earned most of the total degrees (60.64%), they lag behind men in earning STEM credentials (38.74%). These disparities in STEM degree attainment across race and gender were observed in all eight states and Puerto Rico. These research briefs help to define the institutional identity of HSCCs, analyze STEM degree attainment by institutional type, and highlight race and gender inequities in STEM fields. 

Takeaways and insights from this EAGER grant about HSCCs and STEM degrees pathways reiterate Hispanic students remain underrepresented in STEM fields. Community colleges are an important pipeline for students who later transfer to four-year institutions and earn STEM degrees. Additional investing in HSCCs to increase transfer pathways from community colleges to four-year universities, and creating targeted STEM initiatives, the number of Hispanic students completing STEM degrees is critical. In sum, Hispanic-serving community colleges are pivotal in supporting Hispanic students and racially minoritized students in STEM fields, offering access and support necessary for students to succeed. With continued investment and targeted programs, HSCCs are poised to increase the number of STEM degrees awarded to Hispanic students in the coming years. 

Last Modified: 09/19/2024
Modified by: Eboni Zamani-Gallaher