From Nuclear Programs to Academic Breakthroughs: Dr. Daryl D. Green’s Tips for Helping First-Generation Students Win

Dr. Daryl D. Green, an innovator and change agent, shares tips to enhance recruitment and retention for first-generation underrepresented STEM students.

LANGSTON, OK, UNITED STATES, August 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As campuses nationwide welcome first-generation college students this fall, Dr. Daryl D. Green, Dean of the Langston University School of Business, issues a clarion call: “We must not only bring underserved students into STEM majors; we must affirm their belonging and ensure they stay.”

Dr. Green knows the stakes personally. As the first in his immediate family to graduate and one of the first engineers in his extended family, he spent 27 years at the U.S. Department of Energy managing high-stakes nuclear and environmental projects. In Oak Ridge, he actively recruited STEM interns from HBCUs and built support structures to help them succeed in predominantly White, often isolating settings. “Talent is everywhere; opportunity and support are not,” Dr. Green says. “Without belonging, first-gen Black and underserved STEM students are at constant risk of being lost to the pipeline.”

Despite comprising approximately 13% of college students, Black students earn only about 26% of STEM bachelor’s degrees, and just 16% at the doctoral level, while representing 37% of the college-age population. The likelihood of completing a STEM degree is low: only 15% of Black students who begin in STEM earn a STEM bachelor’s degree, compared to 30% for White and Asian students—belonging matters. In PWIs, African American students frequently report microaggressions, exclusion, and isolation, all of which undermine retention and success. By contrast, HBCUs facilitate a sense of belonging, with 62% to 67% of Black students at public and private HBCUs completing their degrees within four years, a significantly higher rate than the national average. These data make clear: representation and retention of Black students in STEM are held back by systemic barriers and insufficient institutional support.

Dr. Green's Seven-Point Blueprint for STEM Success:
1. Intentional Recruitment – Actively target high-potential underserved students.
2. Math Readiness – Invest early in foundational math skills critical for STEM rigor.
3. Visible Role Models – Build diverse faculty rosters, including returnees and retirees as mentors.
4. Alumni Coaching – Connect students with those who’ve navigated similar paths.
5. Peer Mentoring – Empower upper-level students to guide underclass students.
6. Speaker Diversity – Ensure inclusion of minority STEM experts in campus events.
7. Metrics, Not Quotas – Track real improvement through performance indicators that go beyond enrollment numbers.

“Breakthroughs begin when you 'engineer' a culture of belonging,” Dr. Green emphasizes. “My experience in federal STEM programs taught me that success in any environment, including academia, depends on structure, support, and belonging.

Dr. Green brings this message to life at the Shreveport Kickoff Classic: Grambling State vs. Langston University on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Independence Stadium. As students return to campuses, this clash of the Big Cats serves as a dynamic backdrop to elevate the conversation about STEM equity.

For media inquiries regarding the Langston University School of Business, Dr. Green is available for interviews and presentations on STEM retention, diversity, and educational innovation for higher education leaders and community organizations.

You can contact the University’s Public Relations Office at (405) 466-6049 or email Media Relations Specialist Ellie Melero at emelero@langston.edu.

Daryl Green
Langston University School of Business
+1 4054663275
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Facebook

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.