Increasing BIPOC College Student Engagement and Participation with Learning Resource Center Academic Help Programs

Presenter

Boula E. Estafanous

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Ellen Correa, Department of Civic Engagement & Service-Learning, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 5, 3:30 PM - 4:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C26, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 3 (C21-C30) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Higher education has historically been accessible to socially and economically privileged individuals, making student success more likely. Today, increased accessibility to higher education goes hand-in-hand with increased variability of student success. It is no secret that educational systems in the United States are marked by socioeconomic inequalities (Spenner et al., 2004; Kane et al., 1998). These inequalities stem from racist and capitalistic roots and impact students disproportionally across multiple aspects of their lives (Rickles et al., 2001; Battey et al., 2013; Mouw et al., 2006). The Learning Resource Center (LRC) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst offers free programs that supplement student learning. These programs vary from large review sessions such as supplemental instruction (SI) sessions to individualized academic coaching and are available to all students. I am partnering with Dr. Lin Tang, the executive director of the LRC to make videos that highlight students’ positive experiences on the LRC Instagram page. The goal of this project is to increase accessibility to LRC resources through student engagement with the Instagram platform; improve the quality of student participation in LRC programs; and most importantly empower underrepresented student voices by highlighting their efforts. Student engagement with the LRC Instagram page will be measured through the number of likes and shares on LRC posts. Finally, I will explore the systems that uphold academic inequality and discourage student participation.

Keywords

service learning, civic engagement , student engagement, racial and social equity, social media

Research Area

Education & Educational Research

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