Preparing Students for a Diverse Democracy: College Diversity Experiences and Informed Citizenship After College

• In Event: Explorations of Diversity and Democracy

Abstract

Proponents of college diversity often cite the importance of fostering a diverse democratic society, but the link between various experiences and postcollege citizenship has received limited attention. This study explores the extent to which several college diversity experiences predict aspects of informed citizenship six years after graduation. Within a structural equation modeling analysis of 8,634 college alumni from 229 institutions, most diversity experiences have direct effects on postcollege discussions of racial issues, which suggests that these forms of engagement may have long-lasting effects on college graduates. Moreover, cross-racial interaction, ethnic studies coursework, and racial/cultural awareness workshops all have positive, indirect effects on both news consumption and keeping up-to-date with politics well after graduation.

Authors

• Nida Denson, University of Western Sydney

• Julie J. Park, University of Maryland - College Park

• Nicholas A. Bowman, Bowling Green State University