Date of Award

May 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education, Health & Behavior Studies

First Advisor

Zarrina Azizova

Abstract

This quantitative study investigates factors influencing engagement, persistence, and degree completion among underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Guided by Tinto’s Interactionist Model (1975) and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory(1977), it examines how institutional practices and socioeconomic conditions contribute to inequities in student outcomes. Using a non-experimental, correlational design, the study analyzes National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data and institutional records from a Midwestern Research 2 university (N = 620; URM subsample n = 52). Binary logistic regression, MANOVA, and t-tests were used to assess relationships among High-Impact Educational Practices (HIEPs), engagement indicators, faculty interaction, pre-college characteristics, and academic outcomes. Results show that overall HIEP participation did not predict persistence; however, internship participation significantly increased persistence (OR = 2.41, p = .040). Service learning showed a marginal negative association. Although engagement profiles differed between URM and non-URM students, individual engagement indicators and faculty interaction were not significant predictors of persistence or degree completion. Pell eligibility was the strongest predictor of degree completion (OR = 0.22, p = .043), with Pell-eligible students significantly less likely to graduate. Pre-college characteristics were not statistically significant. Findings indicate that URM STEM outcomes are driven more by access to specific experiential opportunities and structural financial barriers than by general engagement measures. Institutions should expand access to paid internships, strengthen financial support systems, and promote culturally responsive mentoring. Addressing economic barriers is critical to improving degree completion and advancing equity in STEM.

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