05/08/2026
Congratulations to Dr. Kang and Dr. Severn for receiving CRCW Awards for their proposal! Their proposal, Strengthening STEM College and Career Readiness: High School Counselors' Advising Practices, Barriers, and Support Needs in Colorado, was selected for funding in the amount of $15,000.
Summary of the proposal: Colorado has faced a projected shortage of over 30,000 STEM workers and this workforce gap continues to grow, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate post-secondary credential production to meet employer demand. High school counselors play a critical role in students’ college and career readiness — guiding course selection, facilitating college planning, and shaping students’ academic trajectories — yet how counselors specifically support students’ pursuit of STEM pathways, what institutional supports they need to do so effectively, and what barriers they face in the process remain largely unexamined in the empirical literature. This study will conduct the first large-scale, state-level examination of how Colorado high school counselors support students’ STEM college-going — investigating their advising roles, time allocation, self-efficacy, satisfaction with available resources, and perceived barriers. Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, we will administer a statewide survey to high school counselors, followed by in-depth interviews with a purposive subsample to explain and contextualize quantitative findings. Findings will produce actionable recommendations for counselor education programs, district advising models, and state college- and career-readiness policy. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals spanning counseling and STEM education and will lay the groundwork for a planned multi-state comparative study for external funding seeking.
