Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2010 The Process of Choosing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Careers by Undergraduate Women: A Narrative Life History Analysis Roxanne M. (Roxanne Marie) Hughes Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS CAREERS BY UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN: A NARRATIVE LIFE HISTORY ANALYSIS By ROXANNE M. HUGHES A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2010 The members of the committee approve the dissertation of Roxanne M. Hughes defended on October 4, 2010. ________________________________________(signature) Stacey Rutledge Professor Directing Dissertation ________________________________________(signature) Sherry Southerland University Representative ________________________________________(signature) Robert Schwartz Committee Member ________________________________________(signature) Sande Milton Committee Member Approved: ______________________________ Patrice Iatarola, Chair, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members. ii I dedicate this to all people who defy the odds, overcome the struggles of stereotypes, and persevere in their dreams, especially the three WSTEM faculty affiliates who spoke with me about their career paths. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation would not have been possible without the work of Dr. Stacey Rutledge. I cannot thank her enough for taking me on as a student two years ago, despite having never worked with me. I am so grateful for her support and guidance throughout this process. Without her unrelenting attention to detail this document would not be a quality dissertation. Her amazing ability to put up with my type A personality and all of the emails that go along with that were truly a blessing. Next I would like to thank my committee for their support and feedback during the dissertation process. Dr. Sherry Southerland has been a sounding board, supporter, and friend whose office door has always been open throughout this process. Dr. Southerland’s input and suggestions were a crucial part of both my graduate school decisions and the dissertation. Dr. Sande Milton has been a wonderful supporter since I began my graduate school career over five years ago. I am so thankful that he offered to be on my committee at a time when I was confused by the whole process. I am also thankful for his ability to help me to realize that there is always time in your life to relax and appreciate your surroundings. Dr. Robert Schwartz has given me feedback on this dissertation as both a professor and now as a committee member. I am so grateful that he agreed to join my committee on such short notice. Special thanks should go to all of the other past and present faculty members who have served on my diagnostic exam committee, my preliminary exam committee, and my prospectus committee: Lora Cohen-Vogel, Pat Dixon, Doug Harris, Debbie Harris, Gary Crow, and Jeff Brooks. Dr. Lora Cohen-Vogel’s guidance at the beginning of my graduate school career helped to push me in the right direction in regards to coursework, internships, and a broader understanding of research. Dr. Pat Dixon has served as a mentor, colleague, and friend throughout the last two years of my graduate school career. I am so thankful to both of these women for taking an interest in me and helping me realize my potential as a researcher. I would also like to thank past graduate students who have served as mentors to me throughout graduate school. Their example showed me that there was a finish line for me to cross. Dr. La’Tara Osborne-Lampkin served as a strong example of the hard work and determination required to succeed in a PhD program. Dr. William Kyle Ingle has been a close iv friend and mentor throughout most of my graduate school career. I cannot thank him enough for the advice and dinners he has provided over the years. I would also like to thank my study group for my preliminary exams, who heard the first edition of this dissertation and provided feedback and support: Phyllis Kalifeh, Ruth Feiock, and Scott Norman. This dissertation would not have been possible without the help of Dr. Patrice Iatorola and the past and present staff of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies – Amy McKnight, Jimmy Pastrano, Natasha Blackenship, and Mary Peterson. Dr. Iatorola has been a wonderful leader in her new position as chair. She set the bar as one of my first professors here at Florida State University and I only hope I can follow in her teaching example. Jimmy Pastrano is an amazing member of the department staff. His attention to detail, kind words, and overall happy demeanor made my experience so positive. I owe a special thanks to all of the individuals who I interviewed with and corresponded with during this dissertation. Thank you to the twenty six young women who shared their life histories with me. Each one of you is amazing and it was an honor to “meet you” if only for a brief time. I would like to especially thank the faculty members who worked closely with WSTEM. These three women are role models not only in STEM but academia in terms of their motivation to give back and improve the underrepresentation of women in all fields. I would like to thank all of the graduate students associated with the WSTEM program (particularly Stephanie, Jennifer, and Kasey), who put up with my constant emails, phone calls, and discussions during class. And finally, I cannot thank the administrators at FSU enough for their kindness. (Especially, Ruth Feiock, my prelim study partner and hero in a time of policy need). Whenever I sent an email, thinking no administrator would have time to respond, each one of them did. At a university this size, it is so wonderful to know that all of the faculty and administrators are looking out for the best interests of the students, whether they are first year freshmen or graduate students who have been hanging on a little too long. There were many friends and peers who helped me through this process, by listening to me when I needed to vent or simply just not asking me “when are you going to be done?” My friend Kristen Molyneaux has been an amazing friend throughout this process. Despite being at separate schools, we have gone through this process together and helped each other to persevere through emails, phone calls, and now that we are living in the same location, dinners. Heather Tyrrell Read has been my friend since high school. Six years ago she took the initiative to leave v a school that she had been teaching at for five years and attend Columbia University. Her example motivated me to achieve my goal. Throughout these past five years she has listened to me vent, visited me each summer, and provided me with the laughter that I needed to persist. I would like to give a special thanks to my “querido”, Geissler Golding, since there seems to be no good word for what we are to each other in English. He has read countless papers, letters, emails, and this dissertation in all of its versions. His feedback has been crucial because of the questions he asks me and the pride that he takes in my work. His positive attitude, support, and love have helped me see this experience as a journey instead of an end result. And finally, I would like to thank my family for their continued love and support. My sister, Becky Hughes has motivated me with her own unrelenting commitment to continued education and her own commitment to following her dreams and convictions. My dad, Del Hughes, has helped me in so many ways throughout this process. His physical labor on my home here in Tallahassee has been amazing. It was great to know that I had a roof over my head and a person to call when toilets broke or heat pumps were not working. His advice has always been helpful and his work as a running companion throughout this process has probably kept me sane and at the very least, healthy. My final acknowledgement must go to my mom, Dr. Diane Hughes. She has been the example that I wanted to follow. She postponed her dream of getting her doctorate to work and support me and my sister. She was the super mom and super actuary/teacher that so many women try to emulate. Her efforts resulted in two amazing children. And then when we were in college, she continued teaching full time and attending Rowan University for her doctorate in education. I had no idea how difficult PhD programs could be because my mom made it look so easy. She not only graduated with her degree in record time, but she also survived breast cancer and continued working full time during the process. Her advice, particularly the statistical advice she has provided, has been the most influential for me during this whole process. I am so proud of her and only hope that I can set the same example of perseverance for my students, friends, and family. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ xii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................