Mentoring Matters: Racial Ethnic Minority Undergraduates’ Cultural Fit, Mentorship, and College and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

This study examined the degree to which cultural fit (cultural congruity in combination with perception of the university environment) and the dimensional noncognitive processes of mentoring predicted college satisfaction and life satisfaction for 238 racial and ethnic minority undergraduates from two university contexts. Group differences as well as differences in strength of relationships emerged by site and mentor status. Perception of the university environment was the strongest positive predictor of college satisfaction, whereas cultural congruity was the strongest predictor of life satisfaction. Limitations, future research directions, and implications of the study’s findings are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• college satisfaction
• cultural congruity
• mentoring
• perception of the university environment
• racial and ethnic minority undergraduates

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jeanett Castellanos

Jeanett Castellanos is a Lecturer with security of employment in the School of Social Sciences at the University of California, Irvine.

Alberta M. Gloria

Alberta M. Gloria is Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Doriane Besson

Doriane Besson was a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison at the time of the study. Dr. Besson is now a staff psychologist at University of California, San Diego.

Le Ondra Clark Harvey

Le Ondra Clark Harvey was a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison at the time of this study. Dr. Clark Harvey is now a policy consultant to the California State Senate.