Examining Recruitment and Retention Factors for Minority STEM Majors Through a Stereotype Threat Lens

Prior research regarding minorities in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields indicated that the factors of peer support and participation in STEM‐related activities contributed positively to minority students' recruitment and retention in these fields. Utilizing stereotype threat as a conceptual framework, this qualitative case study investigated the contribution of these factors by examining the experiences of minority students majoring in a STEM field. Data analyzed through a deductive approach indicated that a stereotype threat adversely affecting retention and recruitment in STEM could be either minimized or maximized by peer support, in the form of educator or familial influence, and participation in STEM‐related activities through internships and the application of STEM‐related knowledge. Findings from this research may inform higher education institutional practices involving the recruitment and retention of students to the STEM fields from minority populations.