This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore how nineteen Latina college students described their unique challenges as Hispanic women and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students while attending a STEM program at three Hispanic Serving Institutions in southern California. Women, particularly Latinas, remain vastly underrepresented in STEM. The intersectionality theoretical framework guided the research to a broader understanding of how Latinas' multiple identities impacted their academic journey in a predominantly male STEM environment. Three research questions were asked to explore Latinas' challenges, sense of belonging, and the Hispanic Serving Institution's impact on their academic success. A purposive sampling method was used to gather the participants' perceptions, who answered three research questions through open-ended individual semi-structured and focus group interviews. A descriptive thematic analysis assisted in describing, summarizing, and reporting the data. The findings showed that Latinas experienced gender-based discrimination, exclusion, harassment, and hostility while attending STEM programs at Hispanic Serving Institutions. The results showed that Latinas' ethnicity and the cultural Hispanic "familismo" shaped the subjects' experiences, negatively impacting their self-confidence and sense of belonging. In addition, results showed these institutions did not contribute to academic achievement, and the environment did not meet the unique needs of Latinas in STEM programs. Recommendations for future research focused on a more inclusive STEM environment for Latina college students were provided. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]