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This project presents a longitudinal analysis of leadership retention and network resilience within the First2 Network, a statewide STEM education initiative in West Virginia. Data between the years 2018 and 2023 was analyzed for this study. By integrating survival analysis and social network analysis, the study explores how individual network position and organizational affiliation influence continued engagement in leadership roles. Using Kaplan-Meier estimates and a time-varying Cox Proportional-Hazards model, the analysis captures both long-term retention probabilities and the dynamic impact of evolving centrality metrics. In parallel, structural comparisons of leadership networks from the beginning and end of the study period reveal key shifts in organizational participation and influence distribution. Over time, the network transitioned from a more distributed structure to one that is increasingly centralized and reliant on a few key individuals. The results suggest that a core group of leaders have been retained throughout the study period and that leadership transitions have altered the network’s structural integrity and collaborative diversity. Having leaders from a mix of different organizations and sharing leadership responsibilities is important for keeping the network strong and able to work together effectively. 

While many institutions are focusing on increasing STEM belonging for students, we argue that supporting faculty will increase STEM belonging and build social capital, which is vital for career growth and collaboration, creating stability for student success. Faculty at small and large institutions may struggle to find a community of STEM professionals where they feel they belong. Faculty members may struggle with the lack of connections to others in their field and miss out on support that helps them succeed in their careers. When faculty lack support, they may even leave an institution because of failure to get promotion or tenure. This in turn causes problems for students relying on the faculty for guidance and identity. We contend that the improvement science initiatives and other activities of the First2 Network, an NSF funded project, build connections in the STEM community in WV, help STEM students persist in their given field and build STEM belonging and social capital for the faculty members involved. Thus, providing a more stable environment for students to flourish. We surveyed faculty and found that the First2 Network had a positive influence on faculty members’ STEM Belonging, and on their development of social capital to further their academic careers. The faculty also provided examples of how their participation in improvement science work has contributed to their professional growth and benefited students at their institution. 

Abstract The First2 Network is a collection of people from K–12, higher education, government, and industry who are coming together to ensure that students of West Virginia, a rural Appalachian state, will be prepared to choose science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and persist in them. This project—funded by the National Science Foundation—combines many features, including semi-annual conferences, structured working groups, summer immersive experiences for students, a student ambassador program, and network improvement communities. The growth of the First2 Network is vital to make sure that these activities and programs are disseminated and sustained statewide. This article uses social network analysis to examine participation of people around the state during the first three years of the project. Findings indicate that the network is growing in number of people and in strength of connections. Network leadership members are playing key roles in the network, and student participants who persist in their STEM majors have stronger ties to the network. Social network indicators suggest that the network has manifested positive changes in the first three years of the project, which will lead to increased communication and collaboration among state agencies related to STEM persistence within the state. 

For the growing worldwide economy to be successful, science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) workers are needed. Once recruited to pursue a STEM major, the challenge is keeping these students on track. A large diverse workforce is needed in these fields, but past research has shown students from rural settings are disadvantaged when attending college. It is difficult to look at differences of rural vs. urban to determine whether these settings have any impact on a students’ decisions to declare and persist in a STEM major. Many states have large portions considered rural, Maine (61.3 percent), Vermont (61.1 percent), West Virginia (51.3 percent) (World Population Review, 2022). In states like these, it is hard to differentiate rural and urban settings since much of the state is rural. This study attempts to look at locales in a way that classifies them, not by population or proximity to urban settings, but by other factors that may affect students related to STEM persistence. This case study is the state of West Virginia and cluster analysis is used to develop Locale Codes (LC) to differentiate counties based on a variety of factors, including declaring and persisting in a STEM major. The findings show some counties have a higher percentage of students declaring STEM, but these students are less successful in college than other counties that have proportionally fewer students declaring STEM. The factors related to the locale that contribute to these differences are examined. 

For the growing worldwide economy to be successful, science, technology, engineering,or math (STEM) workers are needed. Once recruited to pursue a STEM major, the challenge is keeping these students on track. A large diverse workforce is needed in these fields, but past research has shown students from rural settings are disadvantaged when attending college. It is difficult to look at differences of rural vs. urban to determine whether these settings have any impact on a students’ decisions to declare and persist in a STEM major. Many states have large portions considered rural, Maine (61.3 percent), Vermont (61.1 percent), West Virginia (51.3 percent) (World Population Review, 2022). In states like these, it is hard to differentiate rural and urban settings since much of the state is rural. This study attempts to look at locales in a way that classifies them, not by population or proximity to urban settings, but by other factors that may affect students related to STEM persistence. This case study is the state of West Virginia and cluster analysis is used to develop Locale Codes (LC) to differentiate counties based on a variety of factors, including declaring and persisting in a STEM major. The findings show some counties have a higher percentage of students declaring STEM, but these students are less successful in college than other counties that have proportionally fewer students declaring STEM. The factors related to the locale that contribute to these differences are examined. 

Many undergraduate students avoid mathematics classes due to math anxiety. This curtails options, particularly STEM majors where workers are needed and jobs are prevalent. This study aimed to investigate whether self-efficacy, mindfulness, and self-compassion predicted math anxiety. Participants of this study were undergraduate students (N = 345) from the Mathematics Department at a large Southeastern U.S. university. There was a significant difference in math anxiety scores between students pursuing STEM and non-STEM degrees. Non-STEM majors had higher scores on a measure of math anxiety. Hierarchical multiple regression results suggested that self-efficacy and self-compassion predicted math anxiety. There was a significant correlation, but not a predictive relationship, between mindfulness and math anxiety.