Recruiting, Redefining, and Recommitting: The Quest to Increase Socioeconomic Diversity at Amherst College

• In Event: Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Postsecondary Research 1

Abstract

Many selective postsecondary institutions have attempted to increase their numbers of low-income students and students of color, yet few have successfully done so (Bowen, Kurzweil, & Tobin, 2005; Carnavale & Rose, 2003; Supiano & Fuller, 2011). In this qualitative case study, I examine the efforts of an elite, private liberal arts school, Amherst College, as it increased its socioeconomic diversity, and I highlight the College’s comparative success in this endeavor. Framed by Bourdieu’s social reproduction theory, I argue that Amherst’s success stems from a pervasive, sustained commitment to diversity and multiple efforts that transcended simple rhetoric. Specifically, the College garnered institutional support, hired a dynamic president, and expanded its applicant pool by intensifying recruitment efforts and broadening definitions of merit.

Author

• Rachel B. Rubin, Harvard University