Date of Award

2025-12-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Education

Advisor(s)

William H. Robertson

Abstract

This research employed a two-phase, sequential, explanatory, mixed-methods design to answer the research questions. The first research question examined how obtaining a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) higher education degree affects the socioeconomic advancement of current Hispanic students and alumni of the Louise Stokes Alliance for Minorities in Participation (LSAMP) within the context of two higher education institutions located along the Texas-Mexico border. The second research question explored the determinants shaping the professional pathways of Hispanic STEM students and graduates in the geographic vicinity of the Texas-Mexico border. For this study, STEM degrees refer to those recognized by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as STEM, including computer and math sciences, biology, agricultural sciences, environmental life sciences, and physical and social sciences (NSF, 2022). Social mobility can be assessed as a change in a person's socioeconomic status (SES) by comparing the status of one of their parents at the age of the current participant (intergenerational mobility) or throughout the participant's lifetime (intragenerational mobility). This study employed a unique and rigorous two-phase, sequential, explanatory, mixed-methods design. Quantitative research is robust and supportive; the qualitative phase complements it, enhancing the validity and confidence in the results through triangulation. This study employed a two-phase approach that combined quantitative and qualitative methods. The first phase provided a strong foundation by identifying reliable patterns and measurable relationships among key factors that affect the socioeconomic mobility of Hispanic STEM participants. These quantitative results formed the basis for interpreting the data and shaped the second phase, which added depth to the analysis. The qualitative phase enhanced the overall validity and credibility of the results by incorporating participants' lived experiences and using triangulation. Purposeful, homogeneous sampling was employed to select participants, resulting in a diverse yet focused group. The participants were former or current students from the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in West Texas and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) in East Texas, who are working towards or have a higher education degree. The researcher administered surveys to a carefully chosen group of 36 participants for the quantitative aspect. At the same time, the researcher interviewed nine of those participants for the qualitative portion of the study. For this study, the researcher identifies the contributors as graduates or participants. Not all of them have completed their academic journey, as most are still studying to earn their degree. Only one of them has obtained his PhD and is currently working full-time in the industry. The rest of the sample group is working either as research associates or in another capacity at their universities, including one whose funding was terminated, thus working outside of their university. This study may yield outcomes that extend beyond statistical projections, serving as a beacon of hope for the Hispanic community. As individuals within the Hispanic population move upward on the social mobility ladder upon attaining a STEM degree, this research can impact a new wave of STEM professionals. The results of this study may inform policymakers and educational institutions about the effectiveness of recruiting and graduating Hispanic students into STEM fields and help them understand the socioeconomic benefits they may receive upon entering the labor force. This tangible goal could have a significant impact on the future of the Hispanic community. As more Hispanics earn STEM degrees, they will achieve greater social mobility and become role models for future generations. Based on previous studies, this research may expand the body of knowledge on Hispanic STEM graduates on the Texas-Mexico border and their intragenerational social mobility.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

225 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Pilar Gonzalez

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