Latinas’ Reinvention as STEM College Students in Pandemic Times at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/tk17jv30

Keywords:

COVID-19, Family role, Mental well-being, Peer support, Post-pandemic life, Resilience, Virtual learning

Abstract

This study explores the challenges Latina students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faced during the pandemic and how they overcame such problems with resilience. This qualitative study focused on seven Latina college students at a Hispanic Southern border institution (HSI). The research methods included interviews, observations, and document analysis to explore their experiences. The findings reveal that there were various strategies employed to cope with the new online academic requirements, maintain their mental well-being, and stay connected with their family and colleagues. The study emphasizes the importance of faculty training in online teaching and the need for faculty and administrators to be flexible in understanding post-pandemic on-campus life for students.

Author Biography

  • Hilda Cecilia Contreras Aguirre, New Mexico State University, USA

    HILDA CECILIA CONTRERAS AGUIRRE, Ed.D. is a STEM education researcher at New Mexico State University. She focuses her research on qualitative/mixed-method studies addressing minority and underrepresented STEM student college performance and persistence and faculty diversity at Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs). She is the Principal Investigator of the Research-Oriented Learning Experiences in Engineering and the Latinidad STEM Mentoring programs funded by the National Science Foundation.

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Published

2025-02-02