Designing College Programs to Promote Career and Major Self-Efficacy Among Underrepresented Students: An Ecological Perspective

• In Event: 18.027 - Success for Underrepresented Students in Higher Education

Abstract

Low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented racial/ethnic minority college students have among the lowest persistence and graduation rates. Building students’ major and career self-efficacy through programs is one way to promote degree completion. This study explains how and why career and major planning activities implemented as part of a college transition program that serves these student populations builds students’ major and career self-efficacy. Our findings suggest that bringing an ecological perspective to designing career programming is a promising way to build major and career self-efficacy among underrepresented students.

Authors

• Liane Indira Hypolite, University of Southern California

• Joseph Kitchen, University of Southern California

• Adrianna Kezar, University of Southern California

• Ronald Hallett, University of La Verne