This blog shares the journey of a low-income Black woman navigating STEM through barriers like educational tracking, stereotype threat, academic trauma, and financial strain. Through redirection, programs like S-STEM, and strong mentorship, she found confidence in fields she once feared. Her story shows what equity can look like when institutions support not just the prepared—but the overlooked.
Growing up as a low-income Black girl in the wealthy white suburbs, I was never on a straight path toward academic success. I changed schools, leaned on support, and held onto my passion for learning. I wasn’t fully aware of bioinformatics—or what it could mean as a career—until college. But through detours, reflection, and small breakthroughs, I found my way.
This story isn’t just about how I got into STEM—it’s about how easily I could’ve been pushed out, and what it took to stay.
Early Education: Labels and Letdowns
I started school in reading support courses. Sometimes it felt like I wasn’t supposed to be interested in certain topics because my teachers didn’t recommend them to me. But when I moved to a new school district, everything changed. I was encouraged to challenge myself, and I learned to love reading. I talked about books with my friends and read for fun. Surrounded by peers who cared about learning, I wanted to work harder.
Within three years, I caught up in math and reading; reaching the advanced reading curriculum. I wanted to earn distinguished honors every period. For the first time, I was assessed on my understanding, not my speed.
Societal Viewpoint
Research shows students of color are under-referred to gifted programs due to bias in teacher referrals (Grissom & Redding, 2016). What helped me wasn’t a label—it was an environment that valued curiosity and gave me space to grow. If we want to support underrepresented students, we need to value exploration over tracking and recognize potential early.
Middle & High School: Confidence and Classroom Climate
Middle school brought new challenges. In my eighth-grade honors physical science class, I felt lost—stuck at a C while my peers excelled. Confusion turned to numbness. I didn’t realize I was struggling, only that I no longer felt like myself. Eventually, I came to believe physical sciences weren’t for me—and stopped trying to fit them into my schedule.
At the end of the year, I had a health episode and missed a physical science unit. I taught it to myself. For the first time in that course, I received a grade I was proud of—a bright spot in a difficult year.
Societal Viewpoint
Physical sciences are often where underrepresented students begin to feel excluded—not from lack of ability, but due to uneven preparation, bias, and lack of belonging. Stereotype threat in subjects like physics and chemistry erodes performance and identity (Beasley & Fischer, 2012). I didn’t need remediation—I needed space to learn without as much pressure, and feel like I belonged in that room.
College Access: Mentorship, Money, and Missed Opportunities
I applied to colleges alone, with little input from teachers or peers. My mother wanted me to apply to Ivy League schools. I refused—I didn’t think I was qualified. I applied to schools where I was sure I’d be accepted, hoping one would offer strong financial aid.
When the acceptances came in, I realized I wanted to attend the “best” school I got into—but couldn’t afford it. I enrolled at the local public university I swore I’d never attend. I cried the day we decided—not because it was wrong, but because the pressure and uncertainty made me feel I’d already failed.
Societal Viewpoint
Many high-achieving, low-income students “undermatch”—not applying to or attending the most selective schools they qualify for due to a lack of guidance and financial clarity (Hoxby & Avery, 2013). Support shouldn’t be reserved for students who know how to ask for it. A realistic college list should be built with someone who knows the system and the student.
College & Healing: Rediscovering STEM Through Support
In high school, I was the only Black student in my chemistry class. My mistakes didn’t feel like mine alone—they felt like a referendum on Black girls in STEM. I also faced significant health issues in my junior year; stress and illness pushed each other into a cycle. I got sicker, missing more school.
Then COVID hit. Lockdown gave me space to reflect. I saw how much I had let stress and comparison define my self-worth, to the point it harmed my health. I promised never to let it get that bad again. Grades, achievement, peer pressure—none of it should matter more than my well-being. I chose to see myself as a whole person, not just a student.
I carried that mindset into college, applying to the Honors and S-STEM programs. During a summer bridge program, I was introduced to physics in a way designed for someone like me. Still healing from my fear of STEM, I was finally ready to learn—and I enjoyed it. What had I been avoiding all along?
Societal Viewpoint
Many underrepresented students associate science with fear and pressure. Programs like S-STEM improve retention not just through scholarships, but by building belonging and identity (Estrada et al., 2018). For students with STEM anxiety, healing is foundational. Trauma-informed and culturally responsive teaching can offer re-entry points into subjects students once feared (Lynch & Wojdak, 2023).
Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, and Redefining Strength
When I saw a graphic about bioinformatics, one word stuck out: statistics. I hadn’t retained anything from my online stats class. But based on my research advisor’s encouragement, I enrolled in a 300-level Biostatistics course.
Even with my advisor’s support, I planned to drop until the professor had us reflect on our statistical confidence and admitted most of us felt uncertain. This perspective renewed my interest, and I decided to stay.
I did well on exams but struggled with statistical software. Still, I asked for help; I understood more than I thought I would. What once felt like insecurity became experience. Returning to something that had caused fear took healing—but facing it changed the course of my education and career.
Societal Viewpoint
Underrepresented students often internalize the belief that struggling once in math or coding means they’re “not meant” for STEM. But research shows identity development and persistence predict success more than aptitude (Packard, 2016). Mentors who offer personalized encouragement can shift a student’s entire path. Growth happens where trust lives.
Conclusion: What Equity Actually Looks Like
Today, I’m doing things I was never introduced to—analyzing molecular data and experimental design—all because I was given the space to relearn what I once feared. Because I had mentors who believed in me and confidence to face challenges.
I used to think my challenges meant I didn’t belong in science. Now I know they meant the system wasn’t built with me in mind. Success isn’t linear. Healing is part of learning.
If institutions want more underrepresented students in STEM, they cannot only look at who arrives prepared. They must invest in those who arrive curious and determined. We can’t fix the problem at the finish line.
References
Beasley, M. A., & Fischer, M. J. (2012). Why they leave: The impact of stereotype threat on the attrition of women and minorities from science, math, and engineering majors. Social Psychology of Education, 15(4), 427–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-012-9185-3
Estrada, M., Hernandez, P. R., & Schultz, P. W. (2018). A longitudinal study of how quality mentorship and research experience influence STEM persistence in undergraduates. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 17(1), ar9. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.17-04-0066
Grissom, J. A., & Redding, C. (2016). Discretion and disproportionality: Explaining the underrepresentation of high-achieving students of color in gifted programs. AERA Open, 2(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858415622175
Hoxby, C. M., & Avery, C. (2013). The missing “one-offs”: The hidden supply of high-achieving, low-income students. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 1, 1–65. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/2013a_hoxby.pdf
Lynch, R. J., & Wojdak, K. (2023). An exploration of trauma‑inclusive pedagogy and students’ perceptions of academic success. *To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development*, 42(2), 6. https://doi.org/10.3998/tia.2634
Packard, B. W.-L. (2015). Successful STEM mentoring initiatives for underrepresented students: A research-based guide for faculty and administrators. Routledge 2015. ISBN 9781620362969
