Hispanic Higher Education: STEM Watch with Dr. Lorelle L. Espinosa.According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, under-represented minority women make up nearly 15 percent of the nation’s populace 15-24 years of age – a substantial proportion of the pre-college and college-going population. Yet, the National Science Foundation reports under-represented minority women earned just 10 percent of all STEM baccalaureate degrees granted in 2006. These numbers are more dire in select STEM fields. Minority women earned less than 3.8 percent of the nation’s bachelor’s degrees in engineering and physics.
Women of color represent great potential for expanding and diversifying the STEM pipeline, calling for the importance of higher education to secure a strong pathway for this group into scientific careers. A number of colleges and universities are doing an excellent job at supporting women through the undergraduate portion of the pipeline and onto baccalaureate completion. These institutions represent the top 10 producers of STEM bachelor’s degrees granted respectively to Black, Hispanic and Native American women, according to 2008 National Center for Education Statistics data.
