Marginalized Communities, the Natural Sciences, and Oberlin College

Science Center, Bent Corridor

In the United States, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields have been inaccessible to many individuals from marginalized backgrounds. While Oberlin frequently prides itself on being progressive and inclusionary, this research aims to look beneath Oberlin’s exceptional reputation and gauge how inclusionary Oberlin actually is in terms of its natural science departments. Using institutional data and statistical analysis, this research aims to establish how well students from marginalized backgrounds (students of color, womyn students, low-income students, and first-generation college students), are represented in Oberlin’s natural science departments. This study also aims to compare how well students from marginalized backgrounds are able to major in STEM fields at Oberlin. Another goal of this research is to investigate successful methods employed by other institutions similar to Oberlin to retain marginalized students in their STEM programs. This is being examined with the intent that Oberlin will create changes that make the natural sciences more accessible to its marginalized students.