Class, Race, and the Impact of Involvement on College Students' Baccalaureate Attainment

• In Event: Race and Gender Examinations in Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore how the relationship between various measures of institutional involvement and baccalaureate attainment are moderated by race, class, and the combination of both factors. The study draws from the literature on institutional involvement and intersectionality in order to conceptualize this relationship. A sample of college students from NCES’ Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 is utilized to estimate the impact of involvement on baccalaureate attainment and explore how this relationship varies by racial and class groups. The results suggest a nuanced and complex relationship between student identities, involvement, and attainment, suggesting the need for colleges and universities to more closely attend to these identities when develop strategies to increase student involvement.

Authors

• Marjorie L. Dorime-Williams, Borough of Manhattan Community College

• Matt Giani, The University of Texas - Austin