Standing Out While Fitting In at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Implication for Black Students' STEM Identification and Performance

Scholarly discourse regarding STEM workforce diversification point to belonging and "fitting in" as a critical driver of STEM interest and performance. We propose that being honored and affirmed for being one's distinct self (i.e., standing out) is vital to providing a welcoming and inclusive STEM-learning environment. Results from a sample of students (N=568) enrolled in STEM courses at an Historically Black College/University (HBCU) demonstrate that students who are able to stand out while fitting in at the beginning of the semester express greater STEM identification at the end of the semester. In turn, they demonstrate significantly greater knowledge gains on standardized tests (as measured by established STEM concept inventories). Implications for college educators and identity researchers are discussed.