The Significance of HBCUs to the Production of STEM Graduates: Answering the Call (original) (raw)

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are areas designated as STEM disciplines. There is national and international attention being given to these fields as they are the foundation for partnerships and alliances in the global economy. Education beyond high school is necessary to achieve desired levels of competency and efficiency in STEM fields. Despite the demonstrated need, there is a shortage of individuals trained in these areas, especially women and ethnic minorities (BHEF, 2006). Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have contributed meaningfully to addressing the void of qualified STEM educators and researchers (Allen, 2002). It has been noted that a majority of students in the United States do not reach adequate levels of proficiency in STEM courses (Kuenzi, 2008). A number of contributing factors have been identified. A large percentage of students do not enroll in rigorous science and math