Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Spring 5-11-2024

Keywords

Student of color, First generation student, College Student, Predominantly white institutions, Racism, Microaggression, History, Diversity, Campus climate, Equity

Degree Name

Africana Studies (BA)

Department

AFRICANA STUDIES

First Advisor

Nkiru Nzegwu

Second Advisor

Titilayo A. Okoror

Abstract

Today, many people in society advocate for higher education. Parents, above all, are usually the biggest advocates for education. While this support is necessary, important, and appreciated by all students, especially by minority students, encouragement from our loved ones only signify the tip of the iceberg. This is because of the grueling experience that many students of color face at predominantly white institutions. Only then is the magnitude of said support put to the ultimate test, raising the question of how far support from family and peers really gets you when navigating a system that may not have been tailored to facilitate the success of Black and brown students alike.

Minority students who attend school at predominantly white institutions tend to have more to worry about aside from the everyday coursework stresses, social life, and even finance—universal problems shared by all students. What creates the separation between minority students and their white peers is the racial bias, economic status, and systemic prejudice that minority students experience, along with the universal problems shared by all college students.

In the thesis, I will examine the nature of these institutionalized racial problems and explain the importance of leveling out the playing field of college experience, for all students despite their race. I will identify and examine some of the contributing factors that reinforce this unfortunate structural and institutional imbalance of experience among students of color and their white peers.

Secondly; I will examine the relevant literature that has been produced on the topic to show its importance to society at large and to secure the foundation for my argument. Thirdly; I will do so against the backdrop of critical race theory, affirmative action, and other relevant themes to reinforce my overall claim regarding the grueling experiences many Black and minority students face at predominantly white institutions, as opposed to their white peers.

Lastly, I will analyze the systems that are in place in the higher education system that keep these difficult experiences alive by bringing to the fore, the history of the U.S. and the lived experiences of what many minority, most especially Black students, like myself, have been through, while making a connection to society at large.

This research is important because it brings to light an issue that many Black and brown students face in silence while pursuing their dreams—whether working or studying— to have a successful career after school. While working and studying, they have to give their all to make it to the finish line and become a first-generation graduate in their families. Society at large must be made aware of these challenges, because it does not just negatively affect Black and brown students, it also unfairly benefits white students. This spotlight on the experiences of Black and brown students at predominantly white institutions serves as a beacon for change, since it impacts how we navigate the world around us, the racial prejudices we encounter, and the relationships with ourselves and our peers. Our relationships and how we view them hold great importance because they shape our society and the way in which it functions.

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