Optimizing support: Network churn and the evolution of undergraduate women’s mentorship in STEM

Megan S. Patterson; Qiyue Zhang; Emily V. Fischer; Sandra M. Clinton; Rebecca T. Barnes; Paul R. Hernandez

doi:10.2478/connections-2026-0003

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Optimizing support: Network churn and the evolution of undergraduate women’s mentorship in STEM

Connections

Volume 47 (2026): Issue 1 (August 2026)

By: Megan S. Patterson, Qiyue Zhang, Emily V. Fischer, Sandra M. Clinton, Rebecca T. Barnes and Paul R. Hernandez

Open Access

|Sep 2026

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.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/connections-2026-0003 | Journal eISSN: 2816-4245 (formerly 0226-1766) | Journal ISSN: 0226-1766

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Language: English

Page range: 23 - 38

Submitted on: Dec 4, 2025

Accepted on: Jul 16, 2026

Published on: Sep 2, 2026

Published by: International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA)

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

Keywords:

College students,

Developmental networks,

Mentor networks,

Network dynamics

Related subjects:

Social sciences,

Social sciences, other

© 2026 Megan S. Patterson, Qiyue Zhang, Emily V. Fischer, Sandra M. Clinton, Rebecca T. Barnes, Paul R. Hernandez, published by International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA)
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 47 (2026): Issue 1 (August 2026)