Understanding the Impact of a College STEM Bridge Program for Underrepresented Minority Students

Roundtable accepted to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.

Conference cancelled due to Covid-19

In the present study, we explored underrepresented minority students’ perceptions of a bridge program focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). This three-week residential bridge program was facilitated through the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation for three consecutive summers. Through the use of qualitative analysis, our findings suggest that students perceived the bridge program as supporting their acclimation to college life. Students described increased confidence; knowledge and skills; and knowledge of resources. Students also described struggled with autonomy during the bridge program. In light of these findings, we highlight the importance of ongoing evaluation of bridge programs, particularly evaluation that emphasize students’ perceptions of the impact of programs.