First-generation, African American women constitute a small representation in STEM careers in the United States. Rewarding careers offered to STEM majors are many times inaccessible to first-generation African American women. Access to and successful matriculation in higher education is significantly different for first-generation (FG) African American women whose parents do not have a college degree, come from low-income families, identify as minorities, and face different challenges and barriers making it difficult for them to attend a 4-year institution without continued support. Those FG African American women pursuing STEM degrees experience delays or changes in their pursuit of educational and career goals, degree attainment, and overall academic success in a STEM major. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of first-generation African American women STEM graduates, including their experiences while in college related to: (1) pursuing degree completion in STEM, (2) role of support systems, (3) role of environmental influences, and (4) role of pedagogical methods. Key shared themes of inspiration and influence, continued support, grit and perseverance and life-long learning, were found among first-generation African American women's lived experiences using a qualitative methodology of phenomenology. The overarching research question for this dissertation was: "What is the essence of first-generation African American women's experiences who graduated with a baccalaureate STEM degree." [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.]