Abstract
Abstract
Background
Mentorship is critical for retaining women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), yet most research treats mentor networks as static. Social network and developmental network theories suggest networks evolve dynamically in response to mentee characteristics, environmental contexts, and person–environment fit, but few studies have examined the factors associated with network churn (the proportional turnover of mentors over time) in undergraduate STEM contexts. This study explores short-term mentor network churn among undergraduate women in STEM and examines whether developmental, environmental, and person–environment fit factors predict the rate and compositional nature of that churn.
Methods
Using egocentric network data from 184 undergraduate women in STEM across nine universities, churn was calculated between Fall (T1) and Spring (T2) semesters using the formula (Nd + Na)/Nu (Nd = ties dropped, Na = ties added, Nu = unique ties). Multiple regression with robust standard errors examined predictors of churn, including baseline network size, college rank, persistence intentions, major, university, sense of belonging, and communal/agentic goal affordances and mismatch. Compositional shifts in mentor roles were also analyzed.
Results
Participants exhibited a mean churn of 0.69, indicating substantial turnover. The model explained 36% of variance in churn. Baseline network size (curvilinear), communal goal affordance (curvilinear), and Technology/Computer Science major significantly predicted churn. Compositional analysis revealed a shift toward “professionalization”: ties with graduate students (+64%), professionals (+16%), and faculty (+9%) increased, while peer ties declined.
Conclusion
High churn may reflect adaptive network restructuring rather than instability, though future research is needed. Programs should consider turnover as developmental progression and teach students to actively curate evolving mentor networks.