Lived experiences of high school students from multilingual homes in a summer research internship

Upskilling has emerged as a key strategy in STEM workforce development, aiming to equip individuals with the foundational competencies required to enter and thrive in STEM careers. A growing number of programs have been established to provide these opportunities, particularly for individuals from historically minoritized backgrounds. Out-of-school-time (OST) programs have been established to create opportunities for high school students to experience STEM fields and have exposure to critical technical and professional skills. However, a greater understanding of how minoritized individuals and their support systems experience these programs will enable for more effective programming. In this mixed-methods study, home support and Home STEM Talk among minoritized high school students participating in a high school summer research internship are examined. Findings indicate that students from multilingual homes feel less home support for their STEM pursuits and report hardship in translating STEM topics for their caregivers. However, upon completion of the program, multilingual students made larger gains in Home STEM Talk frequency with richer discourse content than their peers from English-speaking homes. These combined studies provide new avenues for program development and evaluation to positively influence long-term STEM education and career outcomes.