Embracing Latina Learners' Assets in Stem (Ellas) at a Hispanic Serving Institution

Despite growing numbers of Latinas in higher education, they continue to go underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As minoritized women in STEM, Latinas experience STEM contexts in a unique way, partly through the culture they bring to the higher-education experience. In this study, a Latine resilience model is utilized to understand how different contexts interact with Latine culture at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) through an asset-based approach. To explore asset-based resilience, 28 Latina undergraduate students approaching graduation were interviewed about their culture, background, family, community, and other social support during their pursuit and completion of a college degree in the STEM fields in an HSI. In the findings, we describe dominant themes or resilience strategies that particularly fell into the home and college contexts of the resilience model. Family encouragement and motivation (particularly from parents), perseverance and self-efficacy, supportive student networks and communities, and some institutional/departmental support via faculty/staff were noted as sources that fed students' resilience and thus persistence in STEM. Findings suggest that cultural assets and contextual/institutional support can inform policy on how Latina undergraduates succeed in attaining STEM degrees.