Female minority students-plight of staying alive in education during an unending pandemic!

Abstract

Abstract COVID-19 pandemic laid bare deep inequalities and inequities. Disruptions brought to light by the ongoing pandemic are exacerbating risks and vulnerabilities both within education careers and personal lives. Widespread economic, sociological, and psychological damage has challenged female minority students in education more than their male counterparts. We surveyed female minority students as compared to male students at Chicago State University and found mixed ideas and opinions. The concerns on top of the list were fear of contracting COVID-19, existential epiphanies, and poor study conditions. More women, conditioned to design their lives around education are not enrolling for educational opportunities. One reason is that they can’t find childcare; another is they struggle with education/life balance. It's not one cause but the pandemic has made it complex and multi-faceted. For other students, the pandemic offered many new opportunities that were practically never heard off. Some of the most common perks were, i.e., the ability to study remotely from anywhere, cutting out big city commutes, being able to give peak time to family, and greater flexibility in setting daily chores. A common theme for most of the surveyed students was that changes forced by the current pandemic are playing out a new social justice awakening on college campuses especially minority institutions like Chicago State University. Overarching suggestion was that right decisions made today in the context of a pandemic will have long-term consequences for the future of education. Overwhelming minority students proposed a faculty mentor and a peer-mentor to address the academic advising as well as personal guide to facilitate upheavals in pandemic situations.