5 Things Student Affairs Professionals Can Do to Support Diverse Students in STEM

The national conversation on the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education has taken many forms in recent years. From the Oval Office to state houses across the country, rhetoric and policy initiatives aimed to increase the number of individuals prepared to enter a growing scientific and technological workforce is now mainstream and urgent. Widely cited research out of Georgetown’s Center for Education and the Workforce (Carnevale, Smith, & Melton, 2011) points both to the great presence of STEM professionals and their work in our everyday lives and to the unfortunate reality that despite this reach our nation’s “education system is not producing enough STEM-capable students to keep up with demand both in traditional STEM occupations and other sectors across the economy that demand similar competencies."

This 5 Things Brief assists student affairs professionals in supporting increased diverse participation in STEM fields.