Aspirational Capital Among Black Male Community Colleges Students

• In Event: 51.041 - Striving for Black Male Success in Community College

Abstract

While community colleges are well recognized for serving the majority of underrepresented students in postsecondary education in the United States, the research on these institutions lacks in-depth, nuanced analysis that focuses on the experiences of specific groups such as Black men. Within community colleges, Black men’s aspirations are particularly fluid and vulnerable as they navigate the often overwhelming educational pathways with little direction. As a result, Black men at community colleges may experience redirected goals, cooling out (i.e., adjusting expectations often because of failure), or warming up (realizing that educational goals are in reach). In this exploratory analysis using the Beginning Postsecondary Longitudinal Study (BPS:04/09), we employ an asset-based approach which is rooted in Yosso’s (2003) community cultural wealth to analyze changes in the educational aspirations of Black men who are enrolled in community colleges. Our analysis offers a way to explore Black men’s aspirational capital (goals, aspirations, and plans for the future that can be used as an asset in educational institutions). By understanding aspirational capital in this way, we are able to offer insights into ways to better support and nurture the aspirations and educational outcomes for Black men in community colleges.

Authors

• Rachelle Winkle Wagner

• Ashley N Gaskew, University of Wisconsin - Madison