Competency V - Pluralism, Inclusion, and Social Justice
Artifact One: Qualitative Study on Transfer Students of Color and its impact on my outreach strategies
The qualitative study that I conducted in the fall of 2013 had a major impact with my future outreach efforts for the remaining of the 2013-2014 academic year.
The literature review on the subject of transfer students indicated that two thirds of the students who enter a community college never complete a bachelor's degree. (Wang, 2009., Wang, 2012) Further, students who make the decision to earn a bachelor's degree by their senior year in high school are more like to earn that degree than high school students who do not make that decision (Wang, 2009). The study revealed the cultural difficulties that Latino students experience as a marginalized group. Borrego (2003) characterized the missing information that first generation students of color experience when compared to their dominant culture student counterparts as cultural capital. The focus group revealed genuine unique voices which characterized this phenomenon.
My outreach efforts, after discussing with my supervisor, were retailored to approach the significant Latino population demographics at the local high schools surrounding UWest, rather that focusing on the limited opportunity of tabling for transfer students at the local community colleges with our existing small enrollment staff resources. Supporting citations are below, and also in the bibliography of the relevant research paper. A larger window for this paper is located on the "Assessment and Evaluation" Competency page.
Borrego, S.E. (2003). Class matters: Beyond Access to Inclusion. NASPA, invited paper, 1-8. ISBN 978-0-931654-36-7
Hoover, E., & Supiano, B. (2013). In Admissions, Old Playbook Is Being Revised. Chronicle Of Higher Education,60(3), A24-A27.
The literature review on the subject of transfer students indicated that two thirds of the students who enter a community college never complete a bachelor's degree. (Wang, 2009., Wang, 2012) Further, students who make the decision to earn a bachelor's degree by their senior year in high school are more like to earn that degree than high school students who do not make that decision (Wang, 2009). The study revealed the cultural difficulties that Latino students experience as a marginalized group. Borrego (2003) characterized the missing information that first generation students of color experience when compared to their dominant culture student counterparts as cultural capital. The focus group revealed genuine unique voices which characterized this phenomenon.
My outreach efforts, after discussing with my supervisor, were retailored to approach the significant Latino population demographics at the local high schools surrounding UWest, rather that focusing on the limited opportunity of tabling for transfer students at the local community colleges with our existing small enrollment staff resources. Supporting citations are below, and also in the bibliography of the relevant research paper. A larger window for this paper is located on the "Assessment and Evaluation" Competency page.
Borrego, S.E. (2003). Class matters: Beyond Access to Inclusion. NASPA, invited paper, 1-8. ISBN 978-0-931654-36-7
Hoover, E., & Supiano, B. (2013). In Admissions, Old Playbook Is Being Revised. Chronicle Of Higher Education,60(3), A24-A27.
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Artifact Two: Activities as a trans* student affairs professional: Working with the LA Gay and Lesbian Center's Transgender Economic Empowerment Project [TEEP]; and my participation as a member of University of the West's Rainbow Lotus Club |
This past November I participated in the 2013 Transgender Economic Empowerment Project [TEEP] representing University of the West. The transgender population is a traditionally marginalized group, and support for all LGBTQ individuals is fundamental for student growth and empowerment. Although most of the research on gender identity comes from the medical and mental health research, it is clear that undergraduate trans* students face challenges like most LGB students which may include a displacement from their nuclear family in coming out process, and the financial struggles that accompany that in addition to the additional cognitive development challenges that arise from coming to terms with being transgendered in relation to a dominant cis-gendered culture.
My involvement with working with displace LGBTQ displaced youth with the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center was a natural result of advocating for my community as a transwoman and educator. Further as University of the West's only out trans* staff member I have made an effort to be involved in the meetings and activities of UWest's Rainbow Lotus Club. I found that my presence as a transwoman at University of the West was a significant statement of inclusiveness to students. Artifacts from my work with the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center and Rainbow Lotus appear below. Evans, N. J., Fortney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Serano, J. (2007). Whipping girl: A transsexual woman on sexism and the scapegoating of femininity. Berkeley, CA: Seal Press Stryker, S. (2008). Transgender history. Berkeley, CA: Seal Press |
Artifact Three: An academic study on rape myth, and the culturally sanctioned perpetuation of violence against women
This is one of my final academic projects for my graduate program, and an angering and enlightening experience as a transwoman. The perpetuation of violence against women is statically staggering in its pervasiveness. It is an unacceptable form of misogyny manifested in it most vicious forms or rape and sexual assault. Some of the research indicates that the contributing factors rape myth and sexual harassment stem from the same continuum of behaviors and beliefs which serve to perpetuate the subordination of women and the domination of men as a cultural norm.
The extensive literary resources for this research paper appear in its bibliography.
The extensive literary resources for this research paper appear in its bibliography.
Artifact Four: Co-curricular Program Written for the University of California Santa Cruz
In November 2015, I was given the pleasure of being one the final three candidates for the new position of Transgender Educator at UC Santa Cruz. Unfortunately I was not the candidate ultimately selected for the position. However, it was an important experience that helped me to feel that the dominant cisgender culture at mainstream universities were finally beginning to make an effort to bridge their difficult to perceive microaggression which they constantly perpetrate upon those that are transgender. In July 2018 I had the opportunity to redesign the look of the presentation in a style I felt was more palatable by a cisgender audience. This is the redesigned Transgender 101 co-ciurricular program presented here in PDF form.