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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  donna.cox@notes.udayton.edu  http://revdonc.wordpress.com

  JonathanM.Cox  coxjm@wfu.edu  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)