The Impact Of Stem Extra Curricular Activities On Student Involvement

Today’s college students have the opportunity and freedom to choose their major and their career path. Many factors influence the decision of a college student’s career paths including background, general interests, personal strengths, time commitment, and job outlook. Although many important decisions are made in college, one of the most important is the choice of major and career track. Out of hundreds of majors the science and engineering fields are under-represented by women. Although the numbers of women in science technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM, majors has been increasing in the past years, women still are in the minority in the STEM fields. In her study, Lona Whitmarsh

Part One: A big argument that is made in “Where the Jobs Are: STEM Fields” by Linda Rosen and “Many With New College Degree Find the Job Market Humbling” by Catherine Rampell, is that employment rates for college grads are much lower than they were before, as are the starting salaries. According to a study released by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University, “The median starting salary for students graduating from four-year colleges in 2009 and 2010 was $27,000, down from $30,000 for those who entered the work force in 2006 to 2008.” Along with lower employment rates and starting salaries, those without a college degree are even less fortunate than those who graduated from college. On the other hand, STEM

By the year 2020, the Hispanic population in Texas will outnumber the non-Hispanic White population (Petter and Hoque, 2013). However, Hispanics do not play a significant role in the STEM workforce (Robinson, 2007). The drastically low number of Hispanic students with a STEM degree only represent 5% of the total STEM workforce (Clewell, 2006; Malcolm, 2010; Arcidiacono, Aucejo, & Hotz, 2013). To further amplify the situation, 25% of jobs created over the next six years will require a bachelor’s degree (Strong American Schools, 2008).

In 2012 there was one unemployed American with a STEM background for every two unfilled STEM jobs. It is estimated that there are almost 600,000 jobs that go unfilled simply because employers cannot find candidates with the necessary skills. In addition, STEM employment is expected to grow 17% by 2018. This museum will help create the next STEM workers, which will help fill jobs and lower unemployment.

Michael S. Teitelbaum argues in his report, “ The Myth of the Science and Engineering Shortage” that while it may be true that there is an increase in STEM jobs in the US, the fact is for the majority of STEM jobs the wages have been stagnant or declining, indicating that there is no demand for STEM graduates. Teitelbaum continues by stating that it is very simple to claim there is a shortage in STEM by hand-picking specialized fields in STEM that may currently have a shortage due to location and specific years, as a result of changing technology, But to state that all STEM related occupations are experiencing a shortage because a few specialized fields are experiencing a shortage is dangerous as it paints a false a narrative of reality to pursuers’ of STEM degrees. In addition when comparing the unemployment rate of occupations such as registered nurses, physicians, dentists, and lawyers to occupations in STEM, that proponents of STEM have valiantly claimed are experiencing a massive shortage, the unemployment for STEM occupations is staggering. With recent graduates suffering the most with unemployment rates in engineering and computer science above seven percent, as well as an unemployment rate hovering slightly below twelve percent for graduates in information systems ( Teitelbaum). Teitelbaum states that while it may be true that the US is consistently scoring in the middle in international assessments, they are still producing a third of all high-performing students in science and fourteen percent of high-performing students in math. In addition, he states he is not against the push for science and math, as he believes all high school students should be adept in both, but that there is “a big disconnect between this broad educational imperative and

Summer Programs Help Prepare Minority Students for College STEM, Laura Perez, CHEM 1305, August 08, 2016

Since the 1990’s however, there has been a 33% increase in the number of Hispanic Students enrolling in STEM programs. This does not mean that they necessary complete their degree, as Hispanics more likely to drop out of the program or university than their white counterparts. It used to be that one required a formal collegiate education in order to enter the STEM field, but more and more STEM students are entering the field through the completion of IT technical programs, or certificate programs. Hispanics have been taking advantage of this easier pathway into STEM careers, as 24 % of all STEM technical certificates were earned by Hispanics in the 2009-2010 school year. Unfortunately, the percentage of STEM degrees earned by Hispanics experienced

Minorities have always faced obstacles concerning the pursuit of science-related careers. I think that lack of opportunities and encouragement has contributed to the underrepresentation of minorities in science-related careers. I believe this program is an advantageous opportunity for minority students to expand their knowledge and interest for science, and being able to participate in it would be an great experience.

In recent years, there has been a push for reform in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which are known as the basis for innovation and advancement on a global scale. These fields serve as a vital tool in America’s technological leadership, national security, and economic growth, making the federal government and policymakers invested in the success of STEM education and its workforce. This movement gained momentum when three reports concerning STEM were published within a five-month period in 2005. Innovate America, Tapping America’s Potential, and Rising Above the Gathering Storm argue that America needs to improve its STEM policies so it is able to adequately compete in the global economy. These reports stress the issue of the declining competitiveness of America in STEM by using its performance on international assessment rankings and measuring its education attainment as compared to other nations. Other issues presented by these reports focus on the domestic problems of STEM, such as teacher quality and achievement gaps between racial and ethnic groups. The potential shortage in the STEM workforce and the effect of foreign students on both degree production and labor supply are two major areas of concern for analysts that are attempting to measure America’s potential in STEM. Proponents of STEM argue that foreign workers should be brought in on H-1B visas to address America’s proclaimed labor supply

The force of societal stereotypes is a large part of this gap. Instead of joining STEM careers, the most common careers among women are secretaries, nurses, and elementary and middle school teachers (Mandell). This truly illustrates that when well-rounded, talented women have the choice, they are inclined to delve into the field in which society expects them to belong. In this way, the stereotype of women not being involved in STEM is forcing less women to be involved in these fields. The deficiency of women in technical fields, despite their well-roundedness and ability, can be directly related to unyielding cultural stereotypes that stigmatize women in supposedly masculine fields.

Science is comprised of fields that investigate the physical and natural world or events dealing with matter, energy, and their interrelations with objectively measurable phenomena (Natural Science). Scientific fields are often subsumed under the umbrella term STEM which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Historically, STEM fields have been void of diversity and largely dominated by White males, leaving minority’s under-represented (Hines 3). Preserving the integrity of these fields is dependent upon diversity because it prevents bias and promotes the contributions different backgrounds bring to academia (Hines 4). Today’s global market requires a growing investment in the fields of science education to remain competitive with other countries (Palmer, Davis and Moore 105). President Baraka Obama has pushed to increase the number of minorities represented in STEM. In the article Obama Pushes STEM in State of the Union, freelance writer for U.S. News Jason Koebler quotes the President’s State of the Union speech where he urges Americans to, “Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs”. President Obama understands that it is essential for the nation to,

This report navigates the current state of STEM demographic in the country. It examines the reasons why there are less females undertaking STEM majors and gives recommendations on the problems. A brief history on STEM is outlined and the discussion follows with in depth analysis on the subject. STEM is a very critical education discipline with an importance in the economy of the country. Much as it is important, few students choose a career path in STEM. Although, there are more than 50% female students in Colleges and Universities, 12% take STEM related course. Why is this? This report is a compilation of empirical data collected in journals on the same subject explaining

Science education has been a controversial topic among employers and schools for years. Employers are requesting more STEM graduates yet the schools are unable to keep up with the rising demand. Unemployment rates continue to go up while positions in the science, technology, and engineering fields have remained open and unfulfilled. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is vital to the position of the United States in the world standings in STEM research and design. Currently 3 of the 5 top positions in STEM research are held by Asian countries and sadly the United States doesn’t even fall in the top 10 for the list. There was once a time when the United States led the world in STEM research, but times have

A STEM education is a necessity in the United States because the country is lacking knowledgeable people in such fields. However, one is better equipped for multiple job and career positions with the addition of a liberal arts education. It is nearly impossible to transition to different careers with only vocational training. In 2003, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development studied math and science literacy among fifteen year olds. The United States was ranked number twenty-four in math literacy (Drew 27). They are behind countries such as Finland, Slovak Republic, and Hungary. Likewise, the United States was ranked number nineteen in science literacy (Drew 27). It is obvious that the country is behind. STEM education needs to be reformed at the secondary and post-secondary levels of schooling. Katrina Trinko, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors, agrees that more emphasis should be placed on STEM education; however, this emphasis should not be at the sacrifice of a good liberal arts education. She writes, “Even technology wizards can become more innovative with a solid background in liberal arts” (Trinko 6). A liberal arts education is beneficial to people in all career fields.

Extracurricular activities are offered in almost all schools and universities. You can engage in extracurricular activities as young kindergarten up to your adulthood and even beyond that. These activities come in different forms like sports, clubs, fraternities and sororities, youth groups and other social events. This paper is mainly about how extracurricular activities affect the students.