Dismantling Deficit Narratives: A Critical Reconceptualization of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Student Advising in Education Abroad Practice

• In Event: Validating the College Experiences of Marginalized Students

Abstract

This conceptual paper proposes a critical interrogation of education abroad professionals (EAPs) existing advising practices to call attention to EAPs over-reliance of racialized deficit narratives when advising Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) students. The education abroad field has yet to explicitly name this pervasive form of racism, and therefore, EAPs lack culturally-conscious forms of advising that advocate for BIPOC students success. Education abroad is considered a high impact practice that influences BIPOC student persistence towards degree attainment and building critical global skills and competencies for postgraduate success. By proactively disrupting racialized deficit narratives, higher education institutions and the education abroad field can reimagine BIPOC student success in college, and put action behind their promised words of racial justice.

Author

• Neal McKinney, The Ohio State University