This book is an essential resource that Latino/a students and families need to make the best decisions about entering and succeeding in a STEM career. It can also serve to aid faculty, counselors, and advisors to assist students at every step of entering and completing a STEM career. As a fast-growing, major segment of the U.S. population, the next generation of Latinos and Latinas could be key to future American advances in science and technology. With the appropriate encouragement for Latinos/as to enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers, they can become the creative innovators who will produce technological advances we all need and can enjoy—from faster tech devices to more energy efficient transportation to cures for diseases and medical conditions. This book presents a compelling case that the nation's Hispanic population must be better represented in STEM careers and that the future of America's technological advances may well depend on the Latino/a population. It focuses on the importance of STEM education for Latinos/as and provides a comprehensive array of the most current information students and families need to make informed decisions about entering and succeeding in a STEM career. Students, families, and educators will fully understand why STEM is so important for Latinos/as, how to plan for a career in STEM, how to pay for and succeed in college, and how to choose a career in STEM. The book also includes compelling testimonials of Latino/a students who have completed a STEM major that offer proof that Latinos/as can overcome life challenges to succeed in STEM fields.

Faculty of color are entering the academy at a time when colleges and universities are undergoing significant transformations. Demographic shifts promise the most diverse student body in the history of higher education. The technology explosion is transforming the way we experience teaching and learning. Public expectations that higher education institutions put students at the center of learning have never been higher. Administrators and faculty throughout the country proclaim that they want to diversify their faculty in order to be able to meet these new challenges. When they are successful, they hire faculty of color who bring an abundance of talent. Armed with the new knowledge they acquired in their life experiences and in pursuit of their advanced degrees, these faculty members not only promote diversity, but also offer different ways of knowing their field and different lenses through which to examine their disciplines. Yet, when faculty of color enter the academy, they all too often receive little guidance about what it takes to carve out a career in higher education. The present volume is a collection of success stories contributed by faculty of color that share their lessons of survival. It offers thoughtful analyses, multiple blueprints, and specific strategies for shaping a successful and satisfying academic career.