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Journal

2020

Science and Mathematics Education

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Factors That Influence Persistence Of Biology Majors At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, Kristy Daniel, Dana M. García, Jenn L. Idema Jan 2020

Factors That Influence Persistence Of Biology Majors At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, Kristy Daniel, Dana M. García, Jenn L. Idema

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

To promote diversity within the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, we must identify factors that influence or hinder historically underrepresented minority (URM) students’ persistence to degrees in STEM. We documented potential factors that influence students’ persistence in an undergraduate biology program and created a 14-item, Likert-scale instrument. We recruited 137 undergraduate biology majors at a Hispanic-serving institution in Texas to report which factors they found influential in their decision to remain enrolled in their degree programs. We used a modified social cognitive career theory model of career choice to guide interpretation of the reported influences and identify patterns …