Predominantly White Institutions Research Articles

Paths into and out of STEM fields: A qualitative study of women and students of color at a predominately white institution

AbstractThis phenomenological study examines how women and Students of Color who attend a small undergraduate predominately white institution (PWI) make meaning of their experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and how individual and contextual factors influence whether they decide to stay, leave, or add an STEM major. We conducted qualitative interviews with 50 juniors and seniors across three participation pathways: (1) students who entered college with an interest in an STEM major and are still an STEM major, (2) students who entered college with an interest in a non‐STEM major and switched to an STEM major, and (3) students who entered college with an interest in an STEM major and changed to a non‐STEM major. Students' descriptions of the factors that influenced their academic choices support the tenets of the situated expectancy‐value theory. Themes related to expectancies for success, value beliefs, and teachers and peers are presented. Implications of these findings for retaining underrepresented students in STEM majors are discussed.

Resistances to critical language awareness: understanding the role of social class and double consciousness

ABSTRACT Drawing from students’ reflections, classroom observations, and individual interviews, this study examines the case of a Spanish for Heritage speakers class comprised of Heritage Speakers (HS) and international Latin American students in a predominantly white institution (PWI). Focusing on the development of Critical Language Awareness (CLA) , this study shows the various forms of resistance toward these pedagogies (e.g. withdrawal, class divisions, turning to meritocratic answers, among others) across students of different social classes (upper-middle class, working-class, international students from Latin America). This study demonstrates how students resisted structural explanations around Spanish language maintenance, instead resorting to either meritocratic understandings or the family as the primary locus of language maintenance. The epistemological concept of ‘double consciousness frames the experiences of working-class HSs who struggled between feelings of empowerment through CLA and negative perceptions of their own linguistic practices. These feelings were mediated by the challenge of affirming their language identities in the context of a PWI that privileges upper-middle-class cultural values. The study argues that while CLA begins a process of critical consciousness, we need to pay attention to the contextual factors and dynamics that lead to different forms of resistance.

“Don’t just be ordinary”: Understanding the Resilience of College Students of Color at a Predominantly White Institution

Despite the prevalence of student multicultural centers providing support to students of Color across higher education institutions in the United States, experiences related to marginalization and discrimination remain present on college campuses. Using an ecological systems framework, researchers interviewed seven undergraduates active with their university’s student multicultural center to explore their experiences of resilience more deeply at a Predominantly White Institution (PWI). Findings indicate a need for expanding support for students who experience frequent microaggressions and stereotyping related to their marginalized identities. Systemic recommendations for working with college students of Color are presented.

Faculty Mobility and Research Dynamics at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Abstract Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play a foundational role in promoting equality in US higher education and society. Studying faculty transitions and research dynamics at HBCUs is crucial to understanding and addressing these institutions’ challenges, such as brain drain and its relationships with faculty research practices. By tracking the affiliation changes of 139 professors and their research outcomes consisting of 4,269 publications and comparing them with a matched control group with similar backgrounds, we revealed a moving penalty for professors moving from Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) to HBCUs, who experienced declines in research productivity and citation impact. In contrast, professors transitioning from HBCUs to PWIs benefited from the moving premium of increasing high-impact publications. Professors at HBCUs tend to increase their collaborations with PWIs before transitioning, while those moving to PWIs reduce their collaborations with HBCUs. Our findings highlight the ongoing challenges HBCUs face and underscore the need for comprehensive strategies to strengthen these institutions’ research functionality and ultimately their overall academic standing. Peer Review https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway/wos/peer-review/10.1162/qss_a_00334

A Single-Session Wellness Initiative for Black College Women: Integrating Expressive Arts, Spirituality, and Political Resistance

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how four Black women undergraduate students experienced a single-session wellness initiative that integrated expressive arts, spirituality, and political resistance. After participating in the group wellness session, the researchers conducted individual interviews with each participant to understand their interpretation of their paintings and their perceptions of the expressive arts group. All interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed using a structured coding process. Three themes emerged from the cross-case analysis of the semi-structured interviews: (1) Black Women Connecting, (2) Appreciation for the Session Topic, and (3) Systemic Efforts to Promote Black Women’s Wellness. Conducting this study with undergraduate Black women from a predominantly white institution (PWI) yields recommendations for providing culturally responsive wellness programming at university counseling centers.

Black, Low-Income Undergraduates’ Perceptions of Course-Related Factors Associated With Reduced Academic Stress at a Predominantly White Institution

Academic stress is a common struggle for learners of all ages. High levels of academic stress can sometimes relate to lower academic outcomes and higher attrition rates. Black college students at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) face unique stressors such as discrimination and imposter syndrome. Being low-income can carry added stressors associated with a lack of access to resources. Prior literature indicates that support and stronger relationships with faculty are associated with lower stress levels and higher academic success. The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of course-related factors that reduce academic stress among Black, low-income undergraduates at a PWI. Interviews with 19 Black undergraduates recruited from a department that servees low-income, first-generation students revealed a set of interrelated factors that produce greater feelings of support, relatedness, and competence, which aligns with a reduction in stressful experiences. A thematic analysis was used to create descriptive categories and produce a visual representation of these factors. Implications for university staff and faculty are discussed.

Impostor Phenomenon, Group Stereotype Endorsement, and Black College Women’s Mental Health

The present research expands on impostor phenomenon (IP) literature by highlighting the role of susceptibility to group stereotype endorsement and IP on the mental health experiences of Black college women attending predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Specifically, the following study seeks to determine if there is an indirect effect between susceptibility to group stereotype endorsement and depression and anxiety via IP for these students. A sample of 414 Black college women attending PWIs completed an online survey including a demographic questionnaire, the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (Clance, 1985), a modified version of Shapiro’s Multi-Threat Framework Scale (Shapiro, 2011), and the Mental Health Inventory-18 (Veit & Ware, 1983; Weinstein et al., 1989). The findings of the data analyses indicated that there is an indirect effect on susceptibility to group stereotype endorsement and depression and anxiety via IP. These findings highlight the need to examine contextual factors on IP and mental health outcomes for Black women students. The discussion section offers recommendations for preventing and responding to IP with this population.

In the Midst of the Collective: The Experience and Influence of African American Peer Groups in Graduate School at Predominantly White Institutions

In the Midst of the Collective: The Experience and Influence of African American Peer Groups in Graduate School at Predominantly White Institutions

Exploring institutional stratification: Minority‐serving institutional pathways to medical school acceptance in the United States

AbstractIntroductionRecruiting and training a diverse pool of physicians from historically excluded groups is vital to solving complex scientific problems and increasing access to patient care. Disparate educational and health outcomes of COVID‐19 amplified this need. In stratified higher education systems, underfunded institutions that serve greater numbers of underrepresented in medicine (URM) students face unique barriers to entering physician training. However, pathways from historically underfunded minority‐serving institutions (MSIs) in the United States to medical school (MD) are not well understood.MethodA hierarchical logistic regression analysis of 328 488 de‐identified applicants to US MD‐granting medical schools for academic years 2017–2018 through 2022–2023 was used to determine predictors of acceptance based on MSI attendance compared to predominantly White institutions (PWI) and other literature‐informed predictors. An interrupted time series analysis determined the significance in changes in observed differences in application acceptance before and after the COVID‐19 pandemic.ResultsIn model 1, MSI attendance was associated with significantly lower odds of acceptance, with a 42% to 52% chance of acceptance compared to PWI applicants. Adding MCAT and GPA significantly increased odds of acceptance for most MSI applicants in model 2. MSI attendance, MCAT, GPA and socio‐economic status indicators were useful predictors, improving the acceptance model by 39% better than the null model. Although some predictors showed a change in odds over time, none changed significantly when comparing before and after COVID‐19.DiscussionMSI attending students were less likely to be admitted to MD programmes, highlighting systemic stratification until other academic factors were introduced to the model that alleviated lower odds, and the COVID‐19 pandemic did not substantially change these trends. Improved pathways and strengthened institutional relationships between institutions that have greater proportions of underrepresented students and medical schools may help improve MSI applicant odds furthering diversity within the physician‐trained workforce.

English Only? Exploring the Challenges Native Spanish-Speaking English Learners Face

ABSTRACT Active Bilingual Learners/Users of English (ABLE) represent a student population underserved by research even when ABLEs currently represent 10% of public-school enrollments, 78% of which speak Spanish as their native language. In Texas, the overall representation of ABLE Latinx students is 17%, and is expected to grow considerably over the next 10 years. Unfortunately, there is limited research that explores the experiences of Latinx ABLE college students (Núñez, et al., 2016) and the role that Spanish language plays in the creation of identity-affirming institutional practices. Thus, the proliferation of Latinx students at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) that are now Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) as well, for example, requires a deeper interrogation of institutional practices and student experiences. As a result, this study explores the experiences of 15 Spanish Native-Speaking ABLEs at an HSI in the south, called Southwestern University. We use the Nuñez’ conceptual framework of intersectionality work, to better understand the contextual influences that impact Spanish Native-Speaking ABLE’s academic experiences. We also apply a case-study methodology approach to examine Latinx student experiences at an HSI.

Navigating Dissonance in Departmental Ecologies: Latinx Identity Development at HSIs

Abstract: Research has indicated that, in comparison to their counterparts at predominantly White institutions (PWIs), Latinx students at Hispanic-Serving institutions (HSIs) tend to encounter less racism and, in turn, fewer challenges in shaping their ethnic identity development. Yet, evidence has also suggested that the disciplines, and by extension, the departments in which Latinx at HSIs are enrolled (e.g., STEM vs. non-STEM) affect how they encounter racism. To further explore the ecological influence of the discipline and department on Latinx identity development in HSIs, we examined Latinx student experiences in one of the least diverse STEM disciplines, computer science. We analyzed interview and observation data from a multi-case ethnographic study of computer science departments at three HSIs to examine students’ experiences as they navigated their majors. We found that these students experienced challenges similar to those of students at other institutions, such as a lack of academic preparation, limited self-confidence, and scarcity of Latinx representation, which hindered their sense of belonging. Yet, these students also encountered developmental support through student-initiated and department-initiated efforts, which encouraged them to engage in leadership and professional development opportunities. These findings suggest that STEM academic departments at HSIs can play a critical role in the development of Latinx students’ ethnic identity.

Keep Your Joy!: Teaching Critical Pedagogies in Spaces of Intolerance and Resistance

Black female educators continue to face racism and discrimination in educational settings (Davis & Brown, 2017). Compounding these realities, Black female educators of multicultural and/or critical pedagogies can face resistance from their majority-white student populations in a number of ways. This autoethnographic study reflects on my experiences as a Black female instructor of a multicultural education course at a predominantly white institution (PWI). I reflect on and analyze the student opposition I experienced teaching an undergraduate course on critical pedagogies to pre-service teachers and provide much-needed respite and encouragement for other Black female teacher educators on how to maintain their joy when facing such resistance. Grounded in Black feminist thought (Collins, 2000), this article has implications for teacher education programs, higher education, and teachers of multicultural education.

“Constant dropping wears away a stone”: Chinese international women instructors’ duoethnography on advancing racial equity

Faculty of color are constantly experiencing trauma and racial inequities in inherently Eurocentric educational spaces where their histories, knowledge, and experiences are delegitimized and marginalized. Employing critical race feminism (CRF) and White racial identity development model, this article details ways in which two Chinese international women instructors grappled with tensions and trauma and celebrated (small) joys and successes within Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) in the United States. We drew on duoethnography, a dialogic methodological approach grounded in social justice, to make meaning of, (re)construct, and advance racial equity in pedagogy. We examined and analyzed four sources of data: our personal narratives, transcripts of eight Zoom meetings, reflection journals, and informal conversational exchanges. We identified three strategies for navigating dissonance and conflicts: 1) being vulnerable, 2) recognizing shared and differing marginalization or privileges, and 3) building allies intentionally and strategically.

¡con Ganas! The Experiences of First-Generation Latinx Students at Predominantly White Institutions: Stories of Resilience and Persistence

ABSTRACT Despite the challenges that first-generation Latinx students (FGLS) face during their undergraduate careers at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), they are adapting in several ways and finding strategies to persevere and thrive. Through a narrative inquiry approach and utilizing Resilience Theory and Community Cultural Wealth, as theoretical frameworks, this study focuses on the personal stories of resilience and persistence among FGLS attending a PWI. Ten participants were recruited through a series of guest presentations and mass e-mails sent via multicultural centers and student organizations. From the interviews, two significant themes were uncovered: (a) “¡Sí, se puede!” or “Yes, you can!;” and (b) la comunidad or the community. Implications for practice include resources and interventions PWIs can implement to support FGLS.

Internalized Oppression: Exploring the Nuanced Experiences of Gender and Sexuality in Historically Black Colleges and Universities

In the American South at the turn of the twentieth century, quality education was scarce and legislative laws were put in place to ensure that African American individuals remained far away from Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). As a result, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) became a catalyst for change in this “separate but equal” society. This article will explore the significance of HBCUs in elevating Black Americans throughout the twentieth century, while also assessing the conservative nature of the institutions and their inflexibility towards the various nuances of African American communities. While it is not particular to HBCUs, a tolerance of toxic masculinity and severe conservatism has resulted in starkly different Black experiences for cis-gendered heterosexual men, in contrast to cisgendered women and other members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. By investigating various experiences within HBCUs, this article will explain the unifying and uplifting benefits for Black individuals in these institutions, as well as its many divisive components. My research will strive to analyze and properly convey the various nuanced experiences throughout HBCUs and assess the variety of factors that have led to these underrepresented interactions. This article will provide an understanding of how HBCUs have and continue to reflect American society but also demonstrate their role in various Black communities and their representation of non-dominant Black groups from the late nineteenth century to the present.

Impostor phenomenon among Black undergraduates: Contributions of microaggressions, gender, and school belonging.

Racial microaggressions at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) are a major concern for Black undergraduates because these experiences evoke feelings of "otherness" and may contribute to growing impostor phenomenon beliefs (IP)-feelings of intellectual fraudulence where people question their academic abilities. School belonging (i.e., a sense of connection to one's academic institution) may be an important mediating factor that explains how racial microaggressions contribute to greater IP over time. Furthermore, these effects may be distinct for Black men and women, given their unique experiences at PWIs. The current longitudinal study utilizes moderated-mediation analyses to examine these effects among 269 Black undergraduates (Mage = 19.71, SD = 2.36, 72% female) over a full academic year at a PWI. Findings indicate that racial microaggressions indirectly predicted increased IP over a 1-year period through a negative association with schools belonging to Black men but not for Black women. These findings highlight the importance of gender and school belonging when examining how racial stressors contribute to changes in IP beliefs. Implications for theory and policy recommendations for educators and stakeholders are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A Comparison of Food Insecurity Prevalence among Students Attending Minority Serving Versus Predominantly White Institutions in Pre, Earlier, and Later Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic

BackgroundCollege students have a high prevalence of food insecurity, and descriptive reports suggest even higher rates at minority-serving institutions than those at predominantly White institutions. These institutional inequities in food insecurity among college students based on minority designation may have shifted owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. ObjectivesWe aimed to compare the prevalence of food insecurity between students at minority serving and predominantly White institutions during 3 phases: prepandemic [Fall 2019–Spring 2020 (February 2020)], earlier pandemic (Fall 2020–Spring 2021), and later pandemic (Fall 2021–Spring 2022). MethodsOur study included repeated cross-sectional samples from the American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment III (N = 287,221 students, 354 institutions). We performed multivariable Poisson regression with cluster-robust SEs to estimate associations between institutional minority designation and food insecurity, with 1 model for each pandemic phase. ResultsStudents attending minority serving compared with predominantly White institutions had a higher prevalence of food insecurity overall (42% compared with 37%) and within each pandemic phase. After adjusting for sociodemographic and institutional characteristics, students at minority serving institutions had 23% higher food insecurity prevalence during the prepandemic phase than students at predominantly White institutions (95% confidence interval: 1.14, 1.32). Associations were null for earlier and later pandemic phases. ConclusionsLower institutional inequities in food insecurity after the onset of the pandemic may reflect more students returning home as well as an increase in social safety net programs. Regardless of cause, the high prevalence of food insecurity among students, especially at minority serving institutions, underscores the importance of addressing food insecurity at postsecondary campuses.

Students speak: Academic, career, and sociocultural experiences of African American college students

This manuscript presents the outcomes of a qualitative research investigation centered on the experiences of African American college students in terms of their preparation for high school, college, and careers within a Predominantly White Institution (PWI) situated in rural southeastern Wisconsin. At the time of this research, the comprehensive public university had an undergraduate enrollment of 10,196 students. Among these students, 82.1% self-identified as White, 7.8% as Hispanic or Latinx, 5.4% as African American, 3.2% as Asian or Southeast Asian, and 0.9% as American Indian or Alaskan Native. Using semi-structured interviews with willing student participants, the primary objectives of this study were twofold: (1) to recognize the sociocultural and institutional elements that influence the career trajectories of African American students attending the institution and (2) to effectively capture the educational and career viewpoints and voices of these students as they navigate the complex sociocultural and institutional landscape. Key findings from the research highlight the students’ perspectives on the substantial connections between their high school experiences, particularly those in and around a major urban center in the Midwest, and their subsequent college and career paths. Additionally, the study underscores the challenges these students encounter while navigating the physical and social spaces on a rural PWI campus. Recommendations are made for creating a more welcoming space for African American students and for supporting those engaged in the work.

Academic library expenditures and graduation rates: evidence from four-year colleges and universities in the US

ABSTRACT In the midst of financial challenges, colleges and universities in the United States have significantly cut funding for their academic libraries in the name of enhancing efficiency. Using longitudinal data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) on 1,325 four-year colleges and universities, this study finds that total academic library expenditure is positively associated with student graduation rates, net of a wide range of institutional and student-related characteristics. Such findings are evident for total graduation rates as well as graduation rates for students of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. In particular, the positive association between academic library expenditures and graduation rate is most consistently evident for Black students who attend predominantly White institutions (PWIs). The findings reinforce the important role that academic libraries can play for students and shed light on the need for institutions to consider the educational consequences of reducing funding for academic libraries.

Academic self-handicapping as a mediator of the relation between imposterism and academic goal orientation: testing invariance by gender and underrepresented status

Objective: Imposterism and academic self-handicapping (ASH) are related to negative outcomes in college students. We examined whether the relationship between imposterism and academic goal orientations is mediated by ASH across men and women and for students who are underrepresented on campus. Participants: Participants were 852 undergraduates (29.1% men, 26.1% first-generation, and 22.1% from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups at the predominantly white institution (PWI) where data was gathered). Methods: Participants completed self-report scales assessing imposterism, ASH, and academic goal orientation. Results: ASH partially mediated the relationship of imposterism to mastery and performance approach academic goal orientations. High imposterism was directly related to high performance-avoidance orientation. Our model was invariant to gender; while it did not appear to be invariant to underrepresented status, this was accounted for by first-generation student status. Conclusions: Results have implications for the classroom and creation of interventions to minimize ASH and imposterism and their impact on student success.