Dena Kniess and Dr. Pamela A. Havice SACSA Conference November 5, 2012.

Minority Students Perceptions of their

Second-Year in CollegeDena Kniess and Dr. Pamela A. Havice

SACSA ConferenceNovember 5, 2012

Background of the Study Purpose of the Study Research Questions Review of the Literature Theoretical Framework Summary

Outline of Presentation

Gaps in literature for second to third year retention (Nora, Barlow, & Crisp, 2005)

Difference in persistence rates for minority students from second to third year (Smith, 1995)

Issues of retention and persistence for minority students are viewed similar to those of majority students (Rendon, Jalomo, & Nora, 2000)

Background of the Study

The purpose of this study is to build upon the existing base of research pertaining to the second-year experience in college.

The goal of the study is to better understand the experiences of minority college students in their second-year of college and to discover ways to improve their in- and out-of-class learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study

Primary research question◦ What are the experiences of minority college

students during their second- year at a college or university?

Secondary research questions◦ How do minority students experience the in-

classroom and out-of classroom environments during their second-year?

◦ What relationships are important for minority students during their second-year?

Research Questions

Second-Year Student Needs Student Development Theory Second-Year Student Development Identity Development Theories

◦ African American Identity Development◦ Latino/a Identity Development

Review of the Literature

Career and major decisions (Gardner, 2000)◦ Students have not had an opportunity to take

classes in major (Graunke & Woosley, 2005)

Mentoring relationships◦ Fewest encounters with faculty outside the

classroom (Gardner, 2000)

Intellectual engagement◦ Reduced motivation or “sophomore slump”

(Anderson & Schreiner, 2000)

Second-Year Student Needs

Chickering’s Psychosocial Identity Development Theory◦ Struggle with developing competence, moving

through autonomy toward interdependence, establishing identity, and developing purpose

Perry’s Theory of Intellectual and Ethical Development◦ Still in dualistic position were there are definite

right and wrong answers (Boivin, Fountain, & Baylis, 2000)

Student Development Theory

Large, residential, public, four-year research institution in the Southeast

14,000 undergraduate students

2,700 undergraduate students in second-year of study

Research Institution

Conducted during Spring semester 2011

Three undergraduate African American students in their junior year

Two themes emerged from data◦ Academic adjustment◦ Relationships

Significance of pilot study

Pilot Study

“I mean, freshman year, is general ed and kinda you have to put in effort, but not that much effort and sophomore year you had to put in ten times more effort and so learning how to actually put forth effort was that.”

Carl, Junior

Academic Adjustment

“Well, I think that first semester my grades falling, um, like that was a hard hump to get over because I saw it as, okay so this is my second year so I could either pick it up or give it up and I chose to pick it up because I was like well, failure isn’t an option.”

Lisa, Junior

Academic Adjustment

Described apartment living as “… you were farther away from your friends, but I had friends in my apartment … I could say the friends in my apartment were my friends, but it separated me a little bit from some, but drew me closer to others …”

Casey, Junior

Relationships

Learning who were their “true friends”

Talked about forming relationships with professors

Either were mentored or mentored others

Relationships

Friends not returning for the second year had one individual questioning their place at the institution

“… like as a minority it helps to see more minorities like me that have made it, you know. Because, you know to be honest, nobody really expects for a minority to rise to the occasion, …” Lisa, Junior

Additional Findings

Get into groups of 4-5 with individuals around you

Talk about the second-year experience at your institution:◦ How would your student population describe their

second year?◦ Do you think it would be similar or different for

underrepresented groups?◦ What support structures are in place to help

students through their second-year at your institution?

Group Discussion

Dena R. KniessAssociate Director, New Student and Family Programs

Clemson [email protected]

Dr. Pamela A. HaviceAssociate Professor, Leadership, Counselor Education, and

Human and Organizational DevelopmentClemson University

[email protected]

Thank you!

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