Perceived Barriers to Higher Education in STEM Among Disadvantaged Rural Students: A Case Study

This case study examined the perceptions of scholarship recipients participating in Southwest Virginia Community College’s (SWCC’s) S-STEM scholarship program which examined whether the program helped remove barriers to students’ educational goals and STEM career aspirations. The study used a focus group and a survey to elicit responses from student participants in the SWCC S-STEM program. Participants were low-income residents of rural Appalachia, and many were first generation college students. Results indicated that students in the SWCC S-STEM program experienced a wide variety of barriers to STEM educational and career success, including economic, geographic, social, and educational barriers, and that the S-STEM program assisted students in overcoming these barriers. This study may inform efforts to further increase the number of underrepresented students who enroll in and complete STEM education programs.