A Qualitative Evaluation of the Missouri State University S-STEM Program Highlighting the Importance of Taking an Intersectional Approach in Program Evaluations

Abstract

In 2016, Missouri State University (MSU) received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to provide scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (S-STEM) for academically talented students with financial need. The MSU S-STEM program provided two years of financial and academic assistance, supporting students who began their studies at MSU during their sophomore and junior year and supporting transfer students in their first two years at MSU. The goal of the program was to increase the quality and number of undergraduate students with unmet financial need completing a BS within the fields of computer science, engineering, mathematics, and physics. Running from the fall of 2016 to the spring of 2021, the MSU S-STEM program served 5 cohorts, supporting 93 students total. In addition to two years of scholarship, the MSU S-STEM program provided academic support through requiring participation in a 1-credit hour seminar each fall and through making 12 hours of peer-to-peer academic tutoring available per week. This article describes the program and presents the findings from a qualitative, summative program evaluation. The data presented highlight the way intersectional inequalities differently shape student experience within STEM majors, affecting how they were supported in the MSU S-STEM program. This article makes a case for taking an intersectional approach when evaluating programs to support students in STEM and ends by discussing the benefits and challenges of taking an intersectional approach in program evaluations.