Abstracts Category : Other

In the shadows of overrepresentation: Hmong men and engineering education

by Chong Yang

The United States faces a major STEM worker availability gap for the 21st century. This gap puts the US at risk for maintaining its competitive advantage for innovation. The fields of engineering and computer science is predominately participated by White and Asian men. Under-represented minorities (URM) can fill that crucial gap. For the last set of decades, the United States have implemented student academic support programs in all levels of education in order to improve URM students??? persistence in STEM education. HMong men are classified within the pan-ethnic classification of Asian men. This classification often removes HMong men from participation in student academic support services targeting engineering and computer science (ECS) academic success. For minority men, specifically Blacks and Hispanics, often requires additional academic support services to be successful in ECS majors. These individuals are often first-generation college students stemming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. 8 cohorts of HMong men and their participation and persistence in engineering education at a minority serving institution (California State University, Sacramento) were examined. Of all 8 cohorts, 52.9% would be first generation college students and 79.4% would receive the Pell Grant. HMong men do not have a significant participation gap. They have a significant persistence gap ??? worse than any group examined. 4 out of 5 incoming freshmen HMong men who would matriculate into engineering or computer science did not finish in 6-years.Advisors/Committee Members: Jelinek, David.