A Critically Conscious Approach to Fostering the Success of College Students from Underrepresented Groups

Abstract

Over the past decade, many student affairs professionals have turned their attention to non-cognitive factors that can play a role in supporting students from underrepresented groups in making it to and through college. The work in this area that has gotten the most attention in recent years has focused on students’ sense of belonging and efficacy. In this article, the authors begin by acknowledging the numerous strengths of belonging-centered and efficacy-centered approaches to fostering college student success but also argue that these approaches are incomplete. They posit that a more critically conscious approach to fostering college-going success can deepen participating college students’ sense of purpose and, in so doing, increase their likelihood of successful college completion.

Notes

¹ The term non-cognitive factors, used here to describe non-academic factors that can play a role in supporting students from underrepresented groups, has become popular among scholars and educators. However, this term is a misnomer because these factors certainly involve cognitive processes.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott C. Seider

a

Scott Seider ([email protected]) is associate professor of education at Boston University and the author of Shelter: Where Harvard Meets the Homeless.

Shelby Clark

b

Shelby Clark ([email protected]) is an advanced doctoral student at Boston University, where her work focuses on the development of curiosity and other intellectual character strengths in adolescents and young adults.

Madora Soutter

c

Madora Soutter ([email protected]) is an advanced doctoral student at Boston University, where her work focuses on civic character development in youth and adolescents.