A Cultural Wealth Approach to Understanding Latin@s’ STEM Mentee and Mentor Experiences

Abstract

In the United States, Latin@s remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce despite being a growing population in postsecondary institutions and across the country. Mentorship is needed to foster agency and leadership to build more Latin@ representation in STEM. In this study, we used a focus group and interviews to examine the mentee and mentor experiences of five Latin@ college students enrolled in a Hispanic-serving institution and participating in a STEM mentoring program for youth. We applied a community cultural wealth framework to describe participants’ mentoring experiences and the practices that help Latin@s navigate the pre-K-20+ STEM pipeline. Mentoring Latin@s in STEM necessitates a culturally affirming approach that acknowledges community wealth and the ways students overcome institutional barriers.