Minority Graduate Students Research Articles

Relevance of multicultural training to students" applications to clinical psychology programs.

Interest in the efficacy of multicultural training for practitioners and scientists working with multicultural populations has led to questions about the characteristics of students who seek this training. Students of ethnic minority background, as compared with White students, may be more likely to seek programs that offer this training, and their ethnic or racial identity may be related to this preference. This study explores the relevance of multicultural training to White and ethnic minority graduate students in accredited clinical psychology programs. Students rated the relevance of multicultural and general training components to their decisions about where to apply to graduate school. The ethnic minority students' mean ratings of the relevance of multicultural components were higher than those of White students, and the degree of ethnic minority students' ethnic identification was positively correlated to these relevance ratings.

Where will the next generation of minority biomedical scientists come from?

Received June 22, 1998; accepted June 30, 1998. One goal for the training of biomedical graduate students, who are the source of the future investigators who will address the cancer problem, is to assure that diseases that affect different populations disproportionately are studied. In this volume, there are articles that detail the disproportionate targeting by specific cancers to underrepresented minorities. The federal government, because of its support of biomedical graduate education, has a particular responsibility to assure that biomedical scientists are trained whose cultural identity and sensitivity would encourage them to study the cancers and other diseases that target underrepresented minorities. In an analysis of the trends for the training of biomedical graduate students over the past 20 years, I have come to the conclusion that, despite the dramatic rises in natural science baccalaureates awarded to underrepresented minorities over the past decade, no increases in the numbers of minority science doctorates have occurred. This lack of training of minority biomedical doctorates is set against a backdrop of ever increasing numbers of doctorates being awarded to increasingly larger numbers of non-U.S. citizens. The annual number of life science doctorates awarded has more than tripled since 1960 to nearly 8000 in 1995, only about 300 of which (an annual number that has not changed much in the past 10 years) were awarded to underrepresented minorities. Much of the increase in life science doctorates awarded over the past 10 years is attributable to the increases in the number awarded to non-U.S. citizens, whose numbers increased 5.5-fold since 1960. For every underrepresented minority doctorate today, there are nearly ten non-U.S. citizen doctorates, of whom about four will stay in the U.S. Historically, only 20% of foreign students changed residency status to become permanent residents, but, in 1995, that percentage increased to nearly 40% of foreign students becoming permanent residents while they were still graduate students, of whom over 90% will stay in this country. Against these data is the manpower issue of the employment prospects for such doctorates. The National Academy of Sciences reported in 1995 that the saturated U.S. job market for science doctorates results in delayed employment, underemployment, and under utilization of newly minted doctorates. The lack of minority graduate students is no longer attributable to the old leaky pipeline problem that there just are not enough minority science baccalaureates being produced. The American Council of Education reported recently that over 19% of 1995 enrolled college students are underrepresented minorities. The National Science Foundation further reports that underrepresented minorities repre1717

BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS AS PREDICTORS OF ACADEMIC SELF- CONFIDENCE AND ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY AMONG GRADUATE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING STUDENTS

This study uses data from the 1995-96 Graduate Experience Project to explore differences among, and possible predictors of, academic self-confidence, academic self-efficacy, and outcome expectations of entering graduate students in science and engineering. The results suggest that at time of entry, women and U.S. minority graduate students entered with similar academic credentials and academic expectations as their Anglo male peers. Further, gender was not found to be a significant factor in predicting academic self-confidence, academic self-efficacy, or careerrelated outcome expectations. Rather, student perceptions of academic preparedness, status-related disadvantages, and expectations about faculty/student interactions emerged as significant predictors of academic self-efficacy and career-related outcome expectations.

Factors Influencing the Stated Career Goals of Minority Graduate Students in Counseling Psychology Programs

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the stated career goals that racial and ethnic minority graduate students in counseling psychology make while pursuing their graduate education. A national sample of 118 minority students, representing 50 training programs, participated. Participants completed a career goal instrument and a demographic questionnaire. Results indicated that most counseling psychology minority students preferred combined academic and practitioner career goals, whereas few were interested in pursuingfull-time academic careers; the presence of positive feedback and reinforcement of counseling skills were primary influences on career choices. Findings are discussed in terms of recommendations for training programs and future theoretically based studies.

The Use of Research Participation for Mentoring Prospective Minority Graduate Students

Les AA. presentent un programme de tutorat en faveur des etudiants de premier cycle issus des minorites ethniques ou de femmes et qui aspirent a passer leur licence. Ils soulignent que ce programme fait comporte une initiation a la pratique de recherche. Ils montrent que ce type d'initiative permet aux etudiants de clarifier leurs projets sur le plan professionnel, de developper leurs competences dans le domaine de la recherche, d'ameliorer leurs resultats scolaires, d'instaurer des relations avec leurs professeurs. Ils s'interrogent sur l'impact de cette methode en ce qui concerne la socialisation des etudiants

The Training and Use of Interpreters in Bilingual Psycho-Educational Assessment: an Alternative in Need of Study

A multistate survey of 859 school psychologists who indicated prior experience conducting bilingual psycho-educational assessment found that over half had used interpreters. Seventy-seven percent of the school psychologists who reported using interpreters had received no or very little training to do so. Only 37% of the school psychologists reported that their interpreter had received formal training. In only 7% of the cases reported were both school psychologists and interpreters trained in the interpretation process. The data illustrate the need to increase training and recruitment of minority and/or non-minority graduate students proficient in two or more languages for the purpose of more accurately assessing limited-English proficient students. Additional areas for further research involving interpreters are suggested.

The Factor Structure and Predictive Validity of Burbach'S University Alienation Scale

The purpose of the study was to assess the dimensionality, discriminant, and predictive validities of a 15-item version of Burbach's University Alienation Scale. A total of 228 graduate students completed a questionnaire containing measures of alienation, commitment, locus of control, perceived likelihood of leaving, and withdrawal cognitions. Based on the partial identification numbers that they furnished voluntarily, follow-up data were obtained on the status of 121 respondents 12 months later. The findings confirmed the three-factor structure of the Burbach Alienation Scale but indicated that two of its items should be deleted. Based on confirmatory factor analytic results and correlations with locus of control, alienation and affective commitment appear to be distinct constructs. Although alienation failed to correlate with graduate student attrition after 12 months (p > .05), commitment, perceived likelihood of leaving, and withdrawal cognitions did (r = -.36, .52, and .24, respectively, p < .005, one-tailed). Contrary to the popular assumption, minority graduate students at this predominantly White university did not report higher levels of alienation (p > .05).

Research in the Service of Poor and Ethnic/Racial Minority Children: Fomenting Change in Models of Scholarship

High rates of childhoodpovertyandrapid, significant increases in the ethnic minority population in the United States make it essential that thefield of child development markedly increase its production of knowledge useful in the development, delivery, and maintenance of programs that address the needs of poor and ethnic minority children, families, and communities. Developmental contextualism, with its emphasis on (a) diversity and context, (b) synthesizing research with policy and program design, delivery, and evaluation, and (c) collaboration among researchers and the communities where research and programs are being conducted, is especially promising as a model of scholarship that fosters progress toward this goal. The production of knowledge useful in meeting the needs of poor and ethnic minority children will also be promoted by more research funding; increases in the number of ethnic minority graduate students andfaculty; and ethnic, racial, and social class diversification of undergraduate and graduate curricula. Research training must include attention to the processes by which research is made culturally sensitive and to ethical issues that may arise in research and intervention with poor and ethnic minority children and parents.

Graduate School Racial Climates and Academic Self-Concept among Minority Graduate Students in the 1970s

Longitudinal data on African American and Chicano students attending graduate school in the 1970s is used to test a model reflecting the influence of parental socioeconomic status (SES), gender, precollege assessments, and the graduate school's racial climate on academic self-concept. The study establishes that early influences and the components of academic self-concept change as students move into adulthood. Minority females consistently lag behind males in views of their academic self-concept. Higher academic self-concept was reported in graduate racial climates characterized by low trust and interaction among groups. These findings raise important questions regarding the development of academic self-concept among minorities in graduate school.

Mentoring minority graduate students: A west indian narrative

Foreign students in American universities can acquire cultural understanding and increase self-discovery through the support of mentors and cultural guides.

Future Concerns in Environmental Engineering Graduate Education

Directions for enhancing graduate education in environmental engineering to meet the challenges of the future must consider: (1) Education for versatility and perspective; (2) programmatic issues on research and graduate education; (3) relations between the environmental industry and graduate education; (4) a philosophy of graduate education; and (5) the role of the citizen engineer. Versatility and perspective requires expansion in the scope of graduate programs, and is dependent in part on enhancing undergraduate environmental engineering education. Relying on research grants for funding master’s study is an inefficient use of resources; traineeships awarded on a competitive basis are needed. Undergraduate majors in the sciences are entering the profession and require exposure to engineering through the combination of relevant science, selected makeup, and graduate-level courses. There is opportunity to take advantage of public interest in environmental issues to recruit minority graduate students. Environmental engineering education and the profession will benefit from improved communication and productive partnerships. Faculty may become more effective educators by recognizing the learning styles among students of different backgrounds, and by appreciating the progression in cognitive development during graduate education. We must educate environmental engineers in their responsibilities to help formulate and implement environmental policy.

Mentoring members of minorities: Sponsorship and “the gift”

This article examines academic mentoring and the need to establish a viable sponsorship program for minority graduate students. Accordingly we consider the nature of mentoring as represented in the literature and examine several of the problems facing minority academics who already have entered the field but have not been accepted as full members of the “academic guild.” Finally, in an effort to contrast mentorship with sponsorship, we propose a four-stage model for true mentoring by applying Marcel Mauss's concept of “the gift.”

Transition of agricultural students from undergraduate to graduate school: The minority student's dilemma

The number of minorities beginning and completing graduate degree programs has steadily declined. For colleges of agriculture, the picture is even more bleak, partly because of the negative perception that minority students have about the field of agriculture, and partly because of a lack of concerted effort on the part of land-grant universities to recruit, retain, and graduate minority students. The objective of this paper is to provide information that will enable minority students, and land-grant faculties and administrators to more ffectively deal with the academic, financial, and emotional needs of minority students who are making the transition from undergraduate to graduate school. If colleges of agriculture are to attract minorities into higher education and retain them, they must not only be aware of special concerns, but also learn to deal more ffectively with the minority student. The results of this paper are based on telephone interviews, literature review, and personal experiences. Academic and emotional preparation seem to vary by individual cases. Mentoring and networking are areas that minority students can better utilize during and after the transition process. Lack of financial aid appears to be the strongest deterrent to the successful completion of a graduate ducation. The transition process requires sensitivity by faculty and ado ministrators of land-grant institutions and a willingness by the minority student to adjust appropriately in order to achieve his or her goals. WHEN make the transition from MINORITY STUDENTS undergraduate to graduate school, it does not have to be a traumatic experience, regardless of whether the transition is from an 1890 to an 1862 institution or from one 1862 institution to another. It can, and should be positive. One of the goals of the society for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS) is to provide mechanisms for recruitment and retention of multicultural students into colleges of agriculture across the country, thereby ensurL. Williamson, Dep. of Agricultural Economics, Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546; and D. Jordan, Southern Piedmont Conserv. Res. Ctr., USDA-ARS, Watkinsville, GA 30677. Based on workshop presentation for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) Conference held at the University Maryland, Eastern Shore Campus, Princess Anne, MD, 8-10 Apr. 1988. Received 19 Dec. 1988. *Corresponding author. Published in J. Agron. Educ. 19:3-7 (1990). ing a steady supply of professionals for the future. Students, however, must be equipped with effective tools to deal with the demands of the future. When contemplating graduate studies, minority students are confronted by all of the uncertainties and questions that other students have, but must also face additional problems. The minuscule number of minorities who enter and complete undergraduate and graduate degrees in agriculture indicates that a greater effort must be made to identify, understand, and offer solutions to the obstacles confronting minority students who pursue graduate degrees in agriculture. For example, most people decide to enroll in a graduate school and select a department based upon the advice of friends, the glossy prose of graduate school catalogs, and perhaps the advice of a friendly faculty member (Moore, 1985). However, this approach tends to leave most minority students with partial, inaccurate, or otherwise inadequate information, since minorities generally have fewer personal contacts with individuals in graduate school and usually less exposure to academia than their majority counterparts. Minority students must become aware of: (i) the career opportunities in agriculture, (ii) the financial assistance opportunities available to graduate students, (iii) the length of time and type of research required in order to obtain an M.S. or Ph.D., (iv) measures by which to evaluate a department or program, (v) the process of written and oral exams and thesis writing, (vi) the measures that must be taken in order to ensure a quality position upon graduation, and (vii) the importance of interacting with faculty and other graduate students during social events (Moore, 1985). The objective of this paper is to provide information that will enable land-grant faculties and administrators, and potential minority undergraduate and graduate students to more effectively deal with the academic, financial, and emotional preparation (particularly, in the agronomic sciences) that is required for minorities to make a successful transition from undergraduate to graduate school.

Recruiting and Retaining Minority Graduate Students: A Systems Perspective

The Supreme Court of the United States, in Brown v. Board of Education, set the fundamental standard for minority access to higher education. Since that 1954 decision, further legal definitions and opinions have expanded the concept of access by increasing the role of the Federal Government and the responsibilities of universities to increase the representation of minorities. To a great extent, legal standards and educational policy became intertwined during the 1970s as affirmative action programs were launched in response to governmental mandates and in an effort to achieve social justice in higher education. As a result, and with an increase in the availability of financial aid-scholarships, fellowships grants-there were some notable gains in the enrollment of Blacks and other minority students. Using 1966 as a watershed year in minority access to higher education, the data reveal profound changes. From 1966 to 1976, the proportion of Black college students increased from 4.6 percent to 10.7 percent, and the number of Black college students increased more than 275 percent.' In spite of these gains, Crossland predicted that Black enrollment probably would not reach the point at which the ratio of Black students to total enrollment equaled the ratio of all Blacks to the total population by 1980. He predicted that other minority groups would be even more poorly represented.2

RETENTION OF BLACK AND HISPANIC DOCTORAL STUDENTS

ABSTRACTThis study tested the feasibility of determining whether factors influencing persistence and nonpersistence of minority doctoral students can be identified,‐whether potentially successful minority doctoral students can be identified at the graduate entry level, and whether institutional practices that encourage or deter minority participation in graduate education can be determined. For Part I of the study, 63 persisting and nonpersisting doctoral students were interviewed regarding their experiences in graduate school; information about their personal and background characteristics was also collected. Identifying and locating an adequate number Of nonpersisters (in order to make any meaningful comparisons) proved not to be feasible. The study was able to describe characteristics and experiences of persisters. Persisters in the study came from low socioeconomic backgrounds; showed a high degree of achievement in high school; had supportive major advisers; participated in professional activities while in graduate school; pursued the Ph.D. because of a desire for knowledge; and, in spite of wanting to leave the programs, completed the doctorate because they did not wish to experience failure.For Part II of the study, 52 faculty and staff at six graduate institutions were interviewed to determine their policies and practices regarding minority doctoral students. It was found that the level of support for minority students varied greatly among institutions. Policies and practices that appear to encourage participation of minority students include an institution‐wide policy regarding minority graduate students, coordination of services for minority students by an entity above the departmental level, early identification of minority applicants, special admissions arrangements, support services focused on minority students' needs, and efficient record keeping to monitor effectiveness of efforts.

Minorities and Women in the Pacific Sociological Association Region

Based on a five-year follow-up survey of sociology departments in the Pacific Sociological Association region, we report trends in the representation of women and minorities among faculty members and graduate students. Although men continue to predominate at all but the lecturer/instructor level, women are increasingly represented on faculties overall, in tenured positions, and among the higher academic ranks. Proportionally fewer men and women are now in entry level positions than in 1979. Except for Asians, minority faculty continue to be poorly represented. Women now make up the majority of graduate students at both the masters and doctoral levels, but both the proportion and number of minority students have declined in five years. Still, despite sharply contracting enrollment, both women and minority graduate students receive a larger share of financial assistance awards than they did five years ago.

The Recruitment and Retention of Minority Graduate Students in Political Science

The Recruitment and Retention of Minority Graduate Students in Political Science

An Affirmative Approach to Ethnic Diversity in Field Work

Abstract Considering cultural diversity, and specifically ethnicity, in field work education is a key dimension in promoting the success of minority graduate students in social work. Designing an ethnic sensitive field work program involves a careful examination of the placement process, the agency context, and the role of field instructor, faculty advisor, and student. Attention to prevalent themes about ethnicity enhances the educational assessment and the planned learning opportunities for the student. Supporting the strengths of the minority culture provides a foundation upon which students can master new learning.

The Recruitment and Retention of Minority Graduate Students in Political Science

The Recruitment and Retention of Minority Graduate Students in Political Science

Discrimination in Recruitment, Admission, and Retention of Minority Graduate Students

Minority student enrollment in graduate schools is declining. The expectations of the early 1970s that minority groups at long last would be represented in graduate schools in proportionate numbers have not been realized. Black student enrollment in graduate schools plunged from 65,326 in 1976 to 54,686 in 1982, a 16.3 percent decline. By contrast, white graduate student enrollment dropped from 906,626 to 880,616, a 2.9 percent decline. Although total minority enrollments increased until 1980, by 1982 a decline was in progress, as Hispanic joined black enrollments in the decline.1 This article focuses on those American racial and ethnic minority groups who are least well represented in graduate schools: blacks, American Indians, Puerto Ricans, and Mexican Americans. To be sure, this underrepresentation is not solely the result of malevolent discrimination. Yet, segregation and discrimination gave birth to the situation, and their vestiges make underrepresentation difficult to eradicate. From a number of perspectives, recruiting minorities for graduate study is an important endeavor. Enrolling students with different cultural, experiential, and cognitive backgrounds into grad-