donna m. cox, ph.d. · jonathan m. cox, m.ed. assistant director for multicultural affairs, wake...
TRANSCRIPT
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DonnaM.Cox,Ph.D.Professor,DepartmentofMusic,UniversityofDayton
JonathanM.Cox,M.Ed.AssistantDirectorforMulticulturalAffairs,WakeForestUniversity
NationalConferenceonRaceandEthnicityNationalHarbor,MD
June3,201010:30AM
Whythistopic? Briefoverviewofresearch Oursurvey TestimoniesfromTransitioners Opendialogue Wrapup
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Partofourpersonaljourneys Sharedexperience Severalquestionsemerged
WhataretheexperiencesofBlackstudentswhowenttoHBCUandtransitionedtoPWIforgraduateschool?Weretheirexperiencessimilartoours?
Howdotheseexperiencesinfluenceourwork? Whatarethechallenges,pitfallsandrewardsforstudentswhomakethetransition
Personalepiphanies Bothcurrentinstitutionsarebeginningtowrestlewithsimilarquestions
Blackstudents,inadditiontogeneralstressors,experienceadditionalstressbecauseoftheirminoritystatusinapredominantlywhiteenvironment.Thisaddedanduniquestresscanhaveanegativeeffectontheiroverallexperience.
Blackstudentsfeeltheyareoftencalledupontoberepresentativesfortheirrace.
BlackstudentsatPWIsreportfeelingdisconnectedfromtheirschoolsandprograms.
WhilethemajorityofstudieshavebeendoneonBlackundergraduatestudents,manythatfocussolelyonBlackgraduatestudentssupportwhatissuggestedbytheundergraduatestudies.
Kim(2002);Nevilleetal(2004);Harperetal(2004);Greer&Chwalisz(2007);Johnson‐Baileyetal(2009)
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ConflictingEvidence BlackstudentsatHBCUsaresignificantlymoreengagedincollegeexperiencesanddevelopconsiderablymorecognitivelyandpersonally.
AnothersegmentofresearchsuggeststhatthereisnosignificanteffectonBlackstudents’engagementorcognitive/personaldevelopmentaccordingtoinstitutionaltype.
BlackstudentshavemoreinteractionswithbothwhiteandBlackfacultyatHBCUsversusPWIs.
Otherevidencesuggeststhatthereisnosignificantdifferenceinthelevelsoftheseinteractionsbetweenthetwoinstitutiontypes.
Kim(2002);Pascarellaetal(2006)
“Activeengagement”–bothin‐classandout‐of‐classengagement–positivelyaffectsmultiplestudentoutcomes.
Cognitiveandintellectualskilldevelopment
Collectiveadjustment
Moralandethicaldevelopment
Psychosocialdevelopment
Positiveself‐image
Persistencerates
SeveralcomparativestudiesofHBCUsandPWIssuggestthatHBCUsprovideawidervarietyof“culturallyappealing”sourcesforBlackstudentengagement,andcanbemoreeffectiveinpositivedevelopmentofstudentoutcomes.
Harperetal(2004)
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Severalcomparativestudiespointstronglytotheideathatinspiteofpoorerfinancialresources,HBCUscreateabetterenvironment(academically,socially,emotionally,etc.)forBlackstudents,inturnmorepositivelyaffectingstudentoutcomesfortheseindividuals.
BLACKSTUDENTSATHBCUS Higherdegreeofconnectednessandaffiliation Greatersenseofpoweroncampus Havehigherratingsinover‐all‐selfconcept Spendmoreenergyinacademicpursuits Attaingreaterdevelopmentintellectuallyincriticalthinking Higherlevelsofculturalawareness
Kim(2002);Harperetal(2004)
Thestudent’srelationshipwithhis/herprogramiscentral
BlackstudentsatPWIsreportfeelingdisconnectedfromtheirschoolsandprograms.Thegreaterthesenseofdisconnection,thelesslikelyastudentistocompletetheirstudies.
Blackgraduatestudentsfeltasenseofavoidanceoutsideoftheclassroomfromtheirwhiteprofessors,aswellasfeelingthatunintentionalracismandsocialdiscomfortcausedthemtomissoutonresearchandteachingopportunities.
Johnson‐Baileyetal(2009)
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Ellis’3‐StageModelforGraduateStudentDevelopment(2001)(InformedbyBeeler’s4‐StageDevelopmentTheoryandTinto’sTheoryofDoctoralPersistence)
Stage1:IndividualIsolationandTransition Stage2:NewCommunityAssociation Stage3:AcademicandProfessionalIntegration
All3modelsprovidedverylittlehelpwhenanalyzingdatacollectedfromBlackparticipants,inparticularBlackwomen.
Fourcategoriesweremajorareasofconcernfordoctoralcandidates:
MentoringandAdvising EnvironmentoftheHomeDepartment InteractionwithPeers ResearchandTeaching
Raceplayedavitalroleinallbut1ofthe4categories(research&teaching).
Whenstudentscouldnotfindafacultymemberwithintheirdepartmentwithwhomtheycouldwork,theylookedtooutsiders(peoplefromotherdepartmentsorotherschools)forunofficialsupport.
Blackstudentsaremorelikelytofeeltheneedtolooktooutsidersforthissupport
MaybeespeciallytrueforBlackfemales
BlackstudentsconnectwithotherBlackstudentswheneverpossible. OnereasonwasthattheBlackstudentsfeltasenseofresponsibilitytotheirpeers–thereweresofewBlackdoctoralstudentstheywouldallneedeachothers’help.
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53responses VariousinstitutionsincludingHampton,Morehouse,Spelman,VirginiaUnion,FloridaA&M,NorthCarolinaA&T,TexasSouthern,Howard,&AlbanyState
Studentsinthemid‐60sthroughcurrentgraduatestudents
10Questionsaboutundergraduateandgraduateexperiences
Howwelldoyouthinkyourundergraduateinstitutionpreparedyouforgraduatestudies? Whatwasthebiggestchallengeyoufacedduringthetransitionfromundergradtogradschool? Whatwasthebiggest'no‐brainer'inthetransition?Whatcausedyoutheleastamountoftroubleoranxiety? Howweretheculturesoftheinstitutionsdifferent?Howweretheculturesoftheinstitutionssimilar? WhatimpactdidthosedifferencesandsimilaritieshaveonyouroverallexperienceatthePWI? Whatdidyougetoutofyourundergraduateinstitutionthatyoudidnotgetoutofyourgraduateinstitution? Whatdidyougetoutofyourgradinstitutionthatyoudidnotgetoutofyourundergradinstitution? WhatchallengesdoyoubelieveyoufacedbecauseofyourdecisiontoattendanHBCUforundergrad?Whatbenefitsdoyoubelieveyouderivedfromyourchoice? Howdidthesechallengesandbenefitsrelatetoyourdecisiontoattendapredominantlywhiteschoolforgraduatestudies?Howdidthesechallengesandbenefitsrelatetoyouroverallgraduateschoolexperience? WhatadvicewouldyougiveanundergraduatestudentwhoispreparingtomakethetransitionfromHBCUtoPWI?
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84%ofrespondentsdescribetheirpreparationintermsofbeingextremelywell,verywell,strong,orwell‐prepared
8%describeitasfair 8%describeitnotadequateornotatallprepared
Whatwasthestrengthofthatpreparation?
68%oftheresponsesdescribedrelativetoacademicpreparation Severalthoughttheirundergradworkwasmorechallenging(35%)
20%‐self‐confidenceandemotionaldevelopment
ResponsesinthefollowingcategoriesFeelingsofisola,on/loneliness/lackofsupport(Adjus,ngtobeingaminority)
25%
Nega,vepeerrela,onships(Socialnetworksdifficulttobreakinto,disdainfrompeers)
21%
Issueswithacademics(Academicculture,unspokenexpecta,ons,wri,ng,aggressivecompe,,venessofpeers)
17%
Issueswithfaculty 12%Timemanagement 8%Overtracism(Havingtorepresentrace)
4%
Overcomingnega,vestereotypesofHBCU 3%Self‐confidence 3%None 3%
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Self‐con*idence,personalcommitmenttosucceed 44%
Anticipateddif*icultyofcurricula/Preparednessforthework 28%
TheexperienceofworkingwithWhites 15%
Theeaseoftheinstitutionalsystems 6.5%
Lackofpreparationwouldcauseanxiety 6.5%
HBCU PWI
Lessthreateningatmosphere VerythreateningatmosphereFacultymoreproac,veinhelpingstudentssucceed
Facultylessavailable,lackoffeedback,morefocusedonresearchthanonstudents
Fostersatmosphereofteamworkandunityamongstudents
Fosterscompe,,onbetweenstudents,lackofcamaraderie,no/liVlecommunica,onbeyondtheclassroomwithpeersEverymanforhimselfaXtude,PWImorecut‐throat
Moreconserva,ve Moreliberal–ex.facultyusefirstnamesMorewelcomingofdifferingviewsonrace UnwelcomingtoissuesofraceStudentsmorecommiVedtoacademics(becauserealizeditwasprivilege)
Studentsseemtotakeeduca,onforgranted/auraofprivilege
Poorerfacili,es BeVerfacili,esandresources
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Moreawareofotherculturesandissuesofdiversity Adaptedto‘newnorm’ Becamelessinterestedinengagingwithpeersoutsideofclassroom Forcedtocreateownnetwork–bothacademicandsocial BetterappreciatedtheHBCUexperience TheimpactoftheHBCUonformationwascritical,believedtheywererepresentingtheHBCUintheirwork
NegativestereotypesofHBCUacademicpreparation self‐esteemissuesasresultofbattlingtheperceptions
Lackofresources–socialandacademic Navigatingwhiteprivilege
havingtodecidewhetherornottoassimilate Facingtheconceptofwhiteprivilegeforfirsttime
Beliefthatthey‘hadto’attendPWIto‘boost’resumeandgaincredibilityintheworkplace NotunderstandingtheculturalpracticesofthePWIthatarerelatedtoacademicsuccessex.mixers,picnics,unspokenexpectationsoffaculty
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Exposuretoawealthofresources Broaderperspectiveondifferentcultures(HBCUisprotectedbubble) ‘Validated’educationthatopensdoors Honedtechnicalskills Senseofthe‘realworld’–noteveryoneislikeme Exposuretoahigherlevelofpotentialmentors Strongersenseofself‐confidenceforsurviving
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HBCU:maintaincontacts,beproudof/confidentinHBCUeducation,useskillslearned(self‐confidence,prideinheritage,howtobuildnetworks,self‐respectandrespectforothers) Academics:Beprepared,studyhard,askquestions,sitinfrontofclassroom,don’tbelate,readmaterialsbeforedue,introduceselftoprofessorfirst(whiteprofessorswillthinkyouaredisinterestedotherwise),takeappropriatecoursesbeforeattending,researchtheschoolbeforegoing Adapttochange:gowithopenmind,keepexpectationsrealistic Racism:don’tspeakforwholerace,prepareforracism,respondwithintelligence,demandrespectforself,preparetoproveself,treateveryonewithrespect,don’ttakeeverythingpersonally Networks:findmentors,interactwithbroaderkindsofpeople,participateinsocialactivities,playsmart,enjoyyourself
Recognizeandrespondtoissuesofisolation Utilizesimilartechniquesusedforundergraduaterecruitmentandretention
Helpestablishmentoringrelationships(informalandformal) LinkingdoctoralcandidateswithMaster’sstudents Linkingfaculty/administratorswithgraduatestudents
Graduateschoolsneedto
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Linkinggraduatestudentstoon‐campusandcommunityorganizations Fraternities/sororities Churches
Graduateschoolsneedto
ProvidesupportforBlackgraduatestudentstoattendconferences,etc.wheretheycannetworkwithotherBlackfaculty,staffandstudents
Provideopportunitiesfordisplayingresearchoncampus
Ifyouwouldlikecopiesoftheslidesusedinthispresentation,pleaseemailusorcheckourwebsites:
Dr.DonnaM.Cox [email protected] http://revdonc.wordpress.com
JonathanM.Cox [email protected] www.wfu.edu/multicultural
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Drummond,Pascarella&Seifert(2006)African‐AmericanStudents’ExperiencesofGoodPractice:AComparisonofInstitutionalType(JournalofCollegeStudentDevelopment,March/April2006) Ellis(2001)TheImpactofRaceandGenderonGraduateSchoolSocialization,SatisfactionwithDoctoralStudy,andCommitmenttoDegreeCompletion(TheWesternJournalofBlackStudies,2001) Greer&Chwalisz(2007)Minority‐RelatedStressorsandCopingProcessesAmongAfricanAmericanCollegeStudents(JournalofCollegeStudentDevelopment,July/August2007) Harper,Carini,Bridges,&Hayek(2004)GenderDifferencesinStudentEngagementAmongAfricanAmericanUndergraduatesatHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversities(JournalofCollegeStudentDevelopment,May/June2004) Kim(2002)HistoricallyBlackvs.WhiteInstitutions:AcademicDevelopmentAmongBlackStudents(TheReviewofHigherEducation) Johnson‐Bailey,Valentine,Cervero&Bowles(2009)RootedintheSoil:TheSocialExperiencesofBlackGraduateStudentsataSouthernResearchUniversity(TheJournalofHigherEducation,March/April2009) Neville,Heppner,Ji,&Thye(2004)TheRelationsAmongGeneralandRace‐RelatedStressorsandPsychoeducationalAdjustmentinBlackStudentsAttendingPredominantlyWhiteInstitutions(JournalofBlackStudies,March2004)