As an active participant in the national dialogue on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education, I often attend meetings alongside college and university STEM faculty, all of whom have a vested interest in diversifying the STEM pipeline at their respective institutions and across the country.
Although often enlightened on diversity theory and practice, including innovative learning environments, when faculty think about what it will take to widen the STEM pipeline, many leave community college students out of the equation.
There exists a false belief that future research scientists are trained solely within the walls of the nation’s four-year research institutions; yet this is not necessarily the path most traveled, particularly when considering underrepresented students seeking STEM degrees.
The population of underrepresented minority, first-generation to college, and low-income students entering higher education at the two-year college level is substantial. According to the American Association for Community Colleges (AACC), a full half of the nation’s community college students have transfer aspirations and one-third of the two-year college population are from underrepresented minority backgrounds.
Another AACC report outlines some of the reasons why students are choosing community colleges at increasingly higher rates. Motives include community college outreach and marketing, new construction and thus increased capacity to receive students, enrollment caps at four-year schools, and the comparably low cost of community college versus four-year institutions.
Underrepresented groups may be even more inclined for economic reasons but also for the accessibility of community colleges. Open-access enrollment means students can start their coursework at any time. And the majority of common first-year coursework is offered in the evenings, which appeals to students who must work to finance their education or face competing priorities such as family commitments.
It is widely held that national postsecondary completion goals will not be met without the success of community colleges and the entrance of underrepresented populations. The fact that so many underrepresented students enter higher education at the two-year level is a fortunate concurrence. By strengthening community college education, we can also strengthen the educational success of underrepresented groups.
