Who Are Our Employees? How Students of Color Do or Do Not Access On-Campus Employment

• In Event: Narratives of Students of Color: Experiences On and Off Campus

Abstract

Viewed as a high impact practice for student retention and valuable social capital to assist students in the labor market, on-campus employment is a critical mechanism for postgraduate success and employability. Filling a gap in the research, this study examines ten years of student employment data from a large, urban, R-1 university to explore which types of students gain on-campus employment. Results suggest White students access on-campus employment at far greater levels than students of Color, further marginalizing this population. Implications for racial equity in on-campus hiring practices and postgraduate support for students of Color is addressed.

Authors

• Christopher Burnett, Northern Arizona University

• Soncia Reagins-Lilly, The University of Texas at Austin

• Zach Taylor, University of Southern Mississippi