PERSIST(Σ): Women and Non-binary People of Color in Engineering Initiative

Introduction

PERSIST(Σ), guided by a counterspace framework (Solorzano & Villalpando, 1998), is an initiative at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), an HSI, MSI, and AANAPISI, that aims to create identity-affirming spaces to promote the participation and persistence of women and non-binary people of color in engineering at UIC. As a collaborative effort between Equity and Inclusion in Engineering Program, Women in Engineering Programs (WIEP), and the Women’s Resource and Leadership Center, PERSIST(Σ) creates brave spaces to support students to:

1. validate each other’s experiences and knowledge;
2. challenge and counter deficit notions;
3. vent frustrations and share stories of isolation, microaggressions, or discrimination;
4. build community, and
5. celebrate their lives and accomplishments.

Research shows that hostile campus climates contribute to the departure of students of color from STEM fields before graduation. These challenges are often intensified for women and non-binary students of color, who face a "double bind" of both racial and gender marginalization within STEM environments (Malcom, 1976). Therefore, it is critical for academic institutions like UIC to actively learn about their experiences and use these insights to shape more equitable and inclusive practices and policies that empower all students.

Since 2016, WIEP has conducted outreach programs such as the Women in Engineering Summer Program and Girls Who Code for high school and college students at two-year institutions to enhance the pipeline of women in engineering and encourage their enrollment at UIC. However, we recognize that promoting their participation in these fields is not sufficient to ensure they will stay. Therefore, PERSIST(Σ) is a response to the need for UIC Engineering to proactively address the unique challenges that women and non-binary people of color encounter in these spaces.