The I CAN PERSIST (ICP) STEM Initiative is a culturally sustaining learning and mentoring counterspace designed to advance STEM persistence among women and girls from Black, Latinx, Asian American, and Indigenous ethnic communities using a five-tiered multigenerational equity-centered mentoring framework. At the core of this initiative is a focus on providing a counter experience to the otherwise chilly climate that often plagues STEM environments. Here, women and girls of color, who are interested in or currently enrolled in STEM academic majors, are surrounded by an oasis of diverse, talented, multi-disciplinary scholars who are committed to affirming each other’s belongingness to STEM while honoring and uplifting their intersecting identities. The ICP STEM initiative is an embodiment of the old adage, “it takes a village…”. Through this 3-minute video montage viewers will have an opportunity to hear first-hand how scholars in the ICP STEM Initiative were motivated towards STEM persistence in a manner that centered their thriving.
Discussion from the 2022 STEM For All Video Showcase (22 posts)
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Lead Presenter Assistant Professor
May 9, 2022 | 11:43 p.m.
Thank you for taking the time to watch our video!
The I CAN PERSIST (ICP) STEM Initiative is a liberatory learning and mentoring counterspace designed to promote STEM persistence among women and girls of color in a manner centered on thriving. To read more about the ICP STEM Initiative, please click here - https://bit.ly/3vIZIU8. We are in the formative years of our NSF-funded project and, as such, have focused our video on providing an overview of the Initiative and sharing the experiences of some of our Scholars in the Initiative.
We are looking forward to dialoging with you about creating wholesome and affirming counterspaces for Black and Brown women in STEM! We especially want to hear how you have prioritized a focus on wellbeing as part of your efforts to support Black and Brown women’s success in STEM.
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This initiative is fascinating! I love the focus on women and girls of color. I think your work is what it takes in order for women and girls to advance in STEM fields. It's impressive that I CAN PERSIST (ICP) STEM has blossomed across four institutions so fast. I am excited to see that you've also included an community college. I'm interested to learn more about the approach you take in gathering data to assess impact. Thank you!
1
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Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Lead Presenter Assistant Professor
May 11, 2022 | 04:01 p.m.
Thank you so much for your support Dr. Boyd! The inclusion of our community college scholars have been really important. We have two qualitative papers forthcoming and would be happy to share those with you.
Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Facilitator Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer
May 11, 2022 | 01:20 p.m.
I echo the sentiments of everyone here! With respect to thriving, the part that has always been particularly difficult for me is to how does one reconcile the notion that counterspaces are necessary to navigate "chilly environments" with whose responsibility it is to transform spaces into environments that do not require counterspaces. Though it should not be the burden of underrepresented groups to champion and strategize toward systemic equity, the reality it is that it is our burden. Students, faculty, staff at higher institutions should just be able to be students and enjoy their STEM experience and not be in a perpetual state of trying to critically reform it. How is your program discussing these issues and preparing students in this regard? Have their been any interesting findings have been suggested and or implemented at Indiana University or other collaborating institutions?
1
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Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Lead Presenter Assistant Professor
May 12, 2022 | 10:45 a.m.
Dr. Alkins, we couldn’t agree more! Black and Brown students should just be able to enjoy their STEM experiences and not have to constantly work to transform it. Within the ICP STEM Initiative seminars we have ongoing conversations about the role of systemic structures in perpetuating the underrepresentation of Women of Color, and more broadly Students of Color, in STEM. As part of these conversations, we make explicit that transforming these systems is not the responsibility of those who have been historically marginalized, but instead the responsibility of those who hold power and privilege in these spaces. We are diligent in making known though that we have the power to resist these marginalizing experiences by prioritizing our wellbeing and creating spaces that support our thriving. Its powerful to see how our Scholars, through their narratives and actions, are embodying this practice.
1
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Very awesome project! I agree with Dr. Alkins above. It's a shame that it's a "counterspace" and not the norm but that is our reality. With that being said, it's great that you are providing that space. To answer your question above on how we prioritize well-being. In my mentoring program (which I will showcase next year), I use peer-mentoring here in an HBCU setting which provides students with additional social and emotional support. This was especially important during the pandemic when students (especially incoming first year students) were isolated and did not have the opportunity to bond with others in 2020 when they first entered.
2
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Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Lead Presenter Assistant Professor
May 12, 2022 | 10:51 a.m.
Dr. Quinlan, I'm so glad to hear about your focus on socioemotional support in your mentoring program! The dual pandemic has, and continues to, tax our students on so many levels. If there was ever a time to focus on our students' wellbeing, its now. I'm looking forward to seeing your mentoring program during the showcase next year!
Wonderful project! Yes! STEM identity, and mentoring, and safe spaces to feel that they can ask for help! Your program is hitting many of the high notes that ours is working on too. Although we did not intend to have women only, our program (serving Biology and Chemistry majors) currently is made of 78% females, probably a reflection of the Biology major being more popular among women.
I like the multi-institutional component. Do the students have activities in common? Are the programmatic things planed together? How about the execution?
"Thriving not just surviving" should be the mantra for all of our STEM scholars. Love it!
2
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Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Lead Presenter Assistant Professor
May 12, 2022 | 10:58 a.m.
Right, Dr. Santisteban! "Thriving not just surviving" should definitely be the mantra! Yes, we are leveraging our increased comfort with connecting virtually in this pandemic-era, and have created monthly Empowerment forums that bring together Scholars from across our multiple institutions. So often we think that we are the only ones in many of our STEM classes, so to get on a Zoom call and see so many people who look like you and pursuing similar STEM fields has been incredibly powerful for our Scholars.
2
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Marijke Visser
Maria Santisteban
Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Facilitator Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer
May 13, 2022 | 08:25 p.m.
Essentially the title of Bettina Love's book, We Want to Do More Than Survive
Gregory Goins
Facilitator Professor and Chair
May 12, 2022 | 10:00 a.m.
This is an amazing project! Everyone before me has said made wonderful points that I agree with wholeheartedly, the focus on women of color and diversity is exciting especially within the STEM space!
2
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Marijke Visser
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Lead Presenter Assistant Professor
May 12, 2022 | 10:46 a.m.
Thank you so much Dr. Goins! We truly appreciate the support!
Kenne Dibner
Facilitator Senior Program Officer
May 12, 2022 | 02:12 p.m.
What an exciting project! I wonder if you might share any information on how you are measuring success? What would it look like for this project to have facilitated success for your participants, and how will you know it when you see it - both in the short term and the long term? Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you for creating such a critical space- a counterspace- I would love to see this approach replicated in informal learning spaces and also with young children so there is a long pathway throughout a person's learning journey. The idea of thriving resonated with me in particular. In the library world we are seeing a trend toward creating a sense of belonging for the youth we serve which feels like it is akin to what you are working to accomplish in your project. I will be looking at your website for sure!
This is an exciting project that covers a broad range of STEM fields, with a focus on women of color. It is great this initiative has spread to other colleges and universities.
1
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Congratulations on a terrific video and an impactful, inspiring program! Your work on women of color in STEM higher ed overlaps with my own interests in many ways. What types of social justice projects do the students create for themselves? Do the students meet across the participating institutions? Thanks.
1
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Found helpful:
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Lead Presenter Assistant Professor
May 17, 2022 | 07:01 p.m.
We truly appreciate your support Dr. Ong, thank you! Our social justice projects tend to focus on environmental justice and health equity. We've leveraged everyone's increased comfort with meeting virtually to bring women of color across the four campuses together once monthly. Its powerful to witness such an incredible gathering of women of color in STEM!
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Thank you for taking the time to watch our video!
The I CAN PERSIST (ICP) STEM Initiative is a liberatory learning and mentoring counterspace designed to promote STEM persistence among women and girls of color in a manner centered on thriving. To read more about the ICP STEM Initiative, please click here - https://bit.ly/3vIZIU8. We are in the formative years of our NSF-funded project and, as such, have focused our video on providing an overview of the Initiative and sharing the experiences of some of our Scholars in the Initiative.
We are looking forward to dialoging with you about creating wholesome and affirming counterspaces for Black and Brown women in STEM! We especially want to hear how you have prioritized a focus on wellbeing as part of your efforts to support Black and Brown women’s success in STEM.
Dr. Marie Mora
Nuria Jaumot-Pascual
Hello, Dr. Wilkins-Yel. I enjoy reading your work, so it's a pleasure to "meet" you here.
I love that the focus of the program is not only to persist, but to thrive. It really resonates with me. Thank you for this important work!
Emily Snode-Brenneman
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Hi Dr. Jaumot-Pascual, likewise! Such a pleasure to "meet" you here as well. We appreciate your support regarding the emphasis on thriving.
Fenice Boyd
This initiative is fascinating! I love the focus on women and girls of color. I think your work is what it takes in order for women and girls to advance in STEM fields. It's impressive that I CAN PERSIST (ICP) STEM has blossomed across four institutions so fast. I am excited to see that you've also included an community college. I'm interested to learn more about the approach you take in gathering data to assess impact. Thank you!
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Thank you so much for your support Dr. Boyd! The inclusion of our community college scholars have been really important. We have two qualitative papers forthcoming and would be happy to share those with you.
Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer
I echo the sentiments of everyone here! With respect to thriving, the part that has always been particularly difficult for me is to how does one reconcile the notion that counterspaces are necessary to navigate "chilly environments" with whose responsibility it is to transform spaces into environments that do not require counterspaces. Though it should not be the burden of underrepresented groups to champion and strategize toward systemic equity, the reality it is that it is our burden. Students, faculty, staff at higher institutions should just be able to be students and enjoy their STEM experience and not be in a perpetual state of trying to critically reform it. How is your program discussing these issues and preparing students in this regard? Have their been any interesting findings have been suggested and or implemented at Indiana University or other collaborating institutions?
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Dr. Alkins, we couldn’t agree more! Black and Brown students should just be able to enjoy their STEM experiences and not have to constantly work to transform it. Within the ICP STEM Initiative seminars we have ongoing conversations about the role of systemic structures in perpetuating the underrepresentation of Women of Color, and more broadly Students of Color, in STEM. As part of these conversations, we make explicit that transforming these systems is not the responsibility of those who have been historically marginalized, but instead the responsibility of those who hold power and privilege in these spaces. We are diligent in making known though that we have the power to resist these marginalizing experiences by prioritizing our wellbeing and creating spaces that support our thriving. Its powerful to see how our Scholars, through their narratives and actions, are embodying this practice.
Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Catherine Quinlan
Very awesome project! I agree with Dr. Alkins above. It's a shame that it's a "counterspace" and not the norm but that is our reality. With that being said, it's great that you are providing that space. To answer your question above on how we prioritize well-being. In my mentoring program (which I will showcase next year), I use peer-mentoring here in an HBCU setting which provides students with additional social and emotional support. This was especially important during the pandemic when students (especially incoming first year students) were isolated and did not have the opportunity to bond with others in 2020 when they first entered.
Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Dr. Quinlan, I'm so glad to hear about your focus on socioemotional support in your mentoring program! The dual pandemic has, and continues to, tax our students on so many levels. If there was ever a time to focus on our students' wellbeing, its now. I'm looking forward to seeing your mentoring program during the showcase next year!
Maria Santisteban
Wonderful project! Yes! STEM identity, and mentoring, and safe spaces to feel that they can ask for help! Your program is hitting many of the high notes that ours is working on too. Although we did not intend to have women only, our program (serving Biology and Chemistry majors) currently is made of 78% females, probably a reflection of the Biology major being more popular among women.
I like the multi-institutional component. Do the students have activities in common? Are the programmatic things planed together? How about the execution?
"Thriving not just surviving" should be the mantra for all of our STEM scholars. Love it!
Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Right, Dr. Santisteban! "Thriving not just surviving" should definitely be the mantra! Yes, we are leveraging our increased comfort with connecting virtually in this pandemic-era, and have created monthly Empowerment forums that bring together Scholars from across our multiple institutions. So often we think that we are the only ones in many of our STEM classes, so to get on a Zoom call and see so many people who look like you and pursuing similar STEM fields has been incredibly powerful for our Scholars.
Marijke Visser
Maria Santisteban
Stephen Alkins Ph.D.
Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer
Essentially the title of Bettina Love's book, We Want to Do More Than Survive
Gregory Goins
Professor and Chair
This is an amazing project! Everyone before me has said made wonderful points that I agree with wholeheartedly, the focus on women of color and diversity is exciting especially within the STEM space!
Marijke Visser
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Thank you so much Dr. Goins! We truly appreciate the support!
Kenne Dibner
Senior Program Officer
What an exciting project! I wonder if you might share any information on how you are measuring success? What would it look like for this project to have facilitated success for your participants, and how will you know it when you see it - both in the short term and the long term? Thanks so much for sharing!
Marijke Visser
Thank you for creating such a critical space- a counterspace- I would love to see this approach replicated in informal learning spaces and also with young children so there is a long pathway throughout a person's learning journey. The idea of thriving resonated with me in particular. In the library world we are seeing a trend toward creating a sense of belonging for the youth we serve which feels like it is akin to what you are working to accomplish in your project. I will be looking at your website for sure!
Dr. Marie Mora
This is an exciting project that covers a broad range of STEM fields, with a focus on women of color. It is great this initiative has spread to other colleges and universities.
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Thanks so much Dr. Mora!
Maria (Mia) Ong
Congratulations on a terrific video and an impactful, inspiring program! Your work on women of color in STEM higher ed overlaps with my own interests in many ways. What types of social justice projects do the students create for themselves? Do the students meet across the participating institutions? Thanks.
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
We truly appreciate your support Dr. Ong, thank you! Our social justice projects tend to focus on environmental justice and health equity. We've leveraged everyone's increased comfort with meeting virtually to bring women of color across the four campuses together once monthly. Its powerful to witness such an incredible gathering of women of color in STEM!
Mei Yang
Great job and nice video! I like the idea of involving professional mentors.
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Kerrie Wilkins-Yel
Assistant Professor
Thanks so much Dr. Yang!
Further posting is closed as the event has ended.