IN-PERSON Prague Research & Teaching Conference

Abstract

Studies refer to cultural capital as non-financial social assets that influence an individual’s ability to succeed in society. Assets such as knowledge, education, skills, etiquette, and cultural awareness significantly impact the level and types of opportunities students receive in our colleges and universities. For instance, the majority of institutions of higher learning revere the students who possess these abilities (i.e., language proficiency, familiarity with academic norms and cultural references), and view them with a great degree of expectancy and reward-worthy appeal. However, many students of color contend with varying degrees of discrimination in the classroom and on campus due to their perceived lack of appropriate cultural capital. In many institutions, cultural norms and expectations have been historically established by the dominant white culture, which sets the standards for the campus population at-large. Consequently, very few opportunities exist to evolve from this structure. As a result, the achievement and retention rates for many students of color continually rank dangerously low compared to their counterparts. Moreover, racial disparities in higher education are evidenced by access, retention, and graduation rates. Students of color bring different types of cultural capital based on their unique, rich racial and ethnic backgrounds that are often undervalued, discouraged, or ignored by educators. This qualitative study will examine how race and cultural capital intersect to shape the academic experiences and success of students of color and explore ways in which educators can become more aware of their inherent biases to create better student recruitment and retention outcomes.