A critical race case study exploration of two Black male student-athletes’ STEM career development

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Experiences of Student-Athletes in STEM with Dual Advising

“…In general, STEM athlete participants appeared segregated within the athletic community despite athletic advisors asking them to engage in STEM opportunities and build relationships with academic and faculty advisors whom they considered STEM experts. This finding is consistent with a body of research that describes athletes as highly isolated from the rest of the campus community (e.g., Adler & Adler, 1991;Huml et al, 2014;Mark & Alexander, 2019;NCAA, 2016;Rubin & Moses, 2017). In particular, as noted by Huml et al (2014), athlete-only academic centers isolate athletes and hinder their ability to connect with faculty members.…”

“…Given the lack of familiarity, some academic advisors have unfavorable perceptions of student-athletes, which can negatively influence the advising experience (Stokowski et al, 2016(Stokowski et al, , 2020. Negative perceptions can develop into stereotypes of ''dumb jocks'' (Simons et al, 2007;Wininger & White, 2015) that may discourage athletes from pursuing STEM (Comeaux, Griffin, et al, 2017;Mark & Alexander, 2019;Stokowski et al, 2016). To learn about student-athletes, it is important that academic advisors interact with them, especially considering the benefits of positive advising experiences, such as heightened persistence (Lotkowski et al, 2004;Stokowski et al, 2016).…”

“…These theories support the general perception that some student-athletes are academically underprepared for college and cannot meet the demands of the rigorous STEM curriculum. In turn, Mark and Alexander's (2019) study, focused on Black athletes, found that the lifestyle of STEM student-athletes makes them more likely to experience increased feelings of isolation and stress. Given athletes' already hectic lifestyles, this may be one of the reasons why many of them opt out of pursuing STEM fields.…”

High-Revenue Athletics Institutional Policies and Practices Aligned with Key Resources for STEM Career Development

“…The narrowly emphasized professional sports career pathway, along with Black male college athletes' underrepresentation in STEM careers, has been critiqued from a critical race STEM education and career development perspective (Mark & Alexander, 2019), undergirded by critical race theory in education (CRT; Ladson-Billings, 1998). CRT is the fundamental notion that racism is a normal, pervasive aspect of life in the United States (U.S.) and serves to maintain the superior social position of Whites over People of Color (Crenshaw et al, 1995).…”

“…These structured social opportunities provided college athletes assistance and encouragement in mastering coursework, gaining experience in skills necessary for future professional work in STEM fields, and opportunities to socialize and connect with peers in STEM. Social connections and support from mentors was a significant distinguishing factor between two Black male college athletes, Kesh and Ben, whose STEM career development pathways were explored in a critical race case study (Mark & Alexander, 2019). Specifically, Kesh benefited from the presence of a very strong and consistent long-term mentor.…”