Rockinson-Szapkiw wins Distinguished Research Paper Award

Dr. Amanda J. Rockinson-Szapkiw’s, College of Education, co-authored manuscript entitled, The Efficacy of a Virtual Peer Mentoring Experience for Racial and Ethnic Minority Women in STEM: Academic, Professional, and Psychosocial Outcomes for Mentors and Mentees will be presented the American Educational Research Association’s (AERA) Mentorship and Mentoring Practices Special Interest Group’s Distinguished Research Paper Award in April 2021. This manuscript is being recognized for its contribution to the knowledge base in mentoring practices and the significant contribution to identifying evidence-based strategies for broadening the participation of populations underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Gender and racial disparity exist in the pursuit and persistence across degrees and careers (National Science Foundation [NSF], 2019). Peer mentoring has been cited as one method supporting women and racial and ethnic minority populations in becoming interested in, experiencing self-efficacy in and persisting in STEM. Mentorship is defined as a “professional, working alliance in which individuals work together over time to support the personal and professional [and academic] growth, development, and success of the relational partner through the provision of career and psychosocial support” (NASEM, 2019, p. 37). In a peer mentoring relationship, the relationship includes one peer similar in age and is more skilled or experienced than the other peer. The more experienced peers are referred to as mentors. 

Grounded in Tinto’s (1987, 2017) institutional departure model (IDM) and social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994), Rockinson-Szapkiw and colleagues examined the effect of a one-year standardized virtual peer mentoring on academic, professional and psychosocial outcomes for both mentors and mentees. Mentors and mentees were graduate and undergraduate women and racial and ethnic minority students enrolled in STEM programs across participating historically black institutions. The findings demonstrated that mentors and mentees participating in the mentoring program experienced increased community levels, STEM achievement, career self-efficacy, interest and intent to persist in STEM degrees and careers. Learn more about this NSF-funded program at eSTEMequity Mentoring, and read this article, now published, in the Journal for STEM Education Research.