Presenter and Advisor Information

Sean Ly, Illinois Wesleyan UniversityFollow

Submission Type

Pre-recorded Research Talk

Area of Study or Work

Educational Studies

Faculty Advisor

Maggie Evans

Expected Graduation Date

2021

Start Date

4-10-2021 8:00 AM

End Date

4-11-2021 5:00 PM

Abstract

The ineffective measures to foster student success and sense of belonging in higher education has become an urgent issue on an institutional scale. More specifically, students of color (SOC) face many problems by policy, problematic mindsets, and/or the university’s campus climate which require them to develop self-efficacy. In this context, self-efficacy is not beneficial to SOC if there are underlying factors that contribute to an unstable environment. It is somewhat counter-productive which is an issue that should be addressed among predominantly white institutions (PWI). The intersecting identities SOC have (social, academic, economic, etc) aren’t just on a social level, these identities pertain to their academic environment and determine how successful they are in it. Often, academic challenges for SOC are overlooked among college campuses due to social challenges being the main focus. Recognizing the academic challenges and the support systems students need are critical to SOC success at a PWI. This study includes 25 SOC who were interviewed based on their experiences at a PWI. SOC who took part in this study majored in a wide range of fields including Biology, Chemistry, Sociology, Psychology, Nursing, Business, Philosophy, Theatre, etc. and were either enrolled at the time of the interview or had recently graduated. This qualitative study found three common themes among the student’s experiences, which include: Imposter Syndrome, underrepresentation, and Prove-them-wrong Syndrome. Recommendations are discussed to address these issues and enhance the success of SOC at a PWI.

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Apr 10th, 8:00 AM Apr 11th, 5:00 PM

Do I belong here? A qualitative examination of experiences that students of color face at a Predominately White Institution.

The ineffective measures to foster student success and sense of belonging in higher education has become an urgent issue on an institutional scale. More specifically, students of color (SOC) face many problems by policy, problematic mindsets, and/or the university’s campus climate which require them to develop self-efficacy. In this context, self-efficacy is not beneficial to SOC if there are underlying factors that contribute to an unstable environment. It is somewhat counter-productive which is an issue that should be addressed among predominantly white institutions (PWI). The intersecting identities SOC have (social, academic, economic, etc) aren’t just on a social level, these identities pertain to their academic environment and determine how successful they are in it. Often, academic challenges for SOC are overlooked among college campuses due to social challenges being the main focus. Recognizing the academic challenges and the support systems students need are critical to SOC success at a PWI. This study includes 25 SOC who were interviewed based on their experiences at a PWI. SOC who took part in this study majored in a wide range of fields including Biology, Chemistry, Sociology, Psychology, Nursing, Business, Philosophy, Theatre, etc. and were either enrolled at the time of the interview or had recently graduated. This qualitative study found three common themes among the student’s experiences, which include: Imposter Syndrome, underrepresentation, and Prove-them-wrong Syndrome. Recommendations are discussed to address these issues and enhance the success of SOC at a PWI.