A longitudinal study of a museum-based out-of-school time program's impact on STEM career pathways

We report on a quasi-experimental, 7-year longitudinal study of participants in an out-of-school STEM program at a large, urban science museum. The program, based on principles of positive youth development, was designed to empower youth to take advantage of the skills and initiative they already possess. Data was analyzed to look for differences in the graduate rates of both groups, along with differences in the those who ended up with a STEM major. Through analysis of Sankey diagrams, we also looked at the specific paths the two groups took while in college. In comparison to a control group, we found that youth who participated in the program had higher rates of graduation in general, graduating with a degree in STEM, and ultimately beginning a STEM career. There were important differences in the paths the two groups took. No differences were related to gender or race/ethnic identity.