Promoting sense of belonging and interest in the geosciences among undergraduate women through mentoring

Abstract

ABSTRACT Efforts to diversify STEM fields have not completely eliminated higher rates of women leaving certain science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, such as geosciences. A diverse mentorship network is linked to persistence in STEM among college students, but little is known about how it leads to persistence. In particular, does a student’s sense of belonging mediate the relationship between the diversity of one’s mentor network and persistence in a field? This longitudinal study investigated whether students’ university sense of belonging mediates the relationship between the diversity of mentor networks and interest in geoscience. 253 college women in STEM majors from nine U.S. universities reported on the diversity of their mentor networks, university belongingness, and interest in geoscience from Spring 2018 to Spring 2019. Consistent with our hypotheses, mediation analysis revealed a statistically and practically significant indirect effect of the diversity of mentor networks on interest development through university belonging.