Description:

This session will explore Black and underrepresented students’ participation in experiential learning and will focus on paid internship experiences. Additionally, the target student population will be underrepresented students who attend predominantly white institutions. The NACE 2019 student survey and other empirical data indicate that students of color have lower participation rates in internships and receive fewer paid internships. This presentation will share a case study that explores Black students’ perception of experiential learning opportunities (ELOs) at a southern, predominantly white institution. The pilot case study provides insights into students’ perceptions of what influenced them to participate in experiential learning, barriers to participation, and their perception of whether experiential learning will help them to obtain entry-level employment as they approach graduation. The presenter will engage the audience in discussion about student perceptions of their access to ELOs and explore strategies some higher education institutions and employers have employed to connect with racially diverse student demographics for paid internships. The presentation uses a race conscious framework and will share relevant literature exploring underrepresented student engagement with experiential learning activities. The goal of this session is to increase awareness of Black and underrepresented students' experiences and to promote engagement with special populations in the talent acquisition process. The presenter completed a pilot research study that involved interviews with a total of seven Black students. In the summer of 2020, she interviewed four freshmen and sophomore students who had not participated in formal internships or other experiential learning activities. Emergent themes from those interviews suggest that these Black students are most comfortable in multicultural spaces, and race influences their participation in experiential learning. Shyness and insufficient financial support were initially described as barriers to involvement. These younger students in the pilot were most interested in internships and study abroad experiences. In the fall of 2020, three senior-level, Black students were interviewed who had participated in internships. These students' experiences were consistent with emergent themes regarding race’s influence in their participation in experiential learning, the importance of financial support, but added the importance of a student’s sense of purpose, and the importance of mentorship. This presentation will help the audience to understand why there are disparities in Black student participation in experiential education and paid internships and will enact strategies to inform university personnel and employers about the disparities in paid experiences for students of color. The presentation will also help to provide a perspective on underrepresented students’ life experiences that may influence their knowledge of the importance of internships and their access to paid internship opportunities. Additionally, the presenter will share a proposed infrastructure to provide paid opportunities for these students through federal work study programs. Experiential education and paid internships can help students develop their social and professional network. Additionally, early exposure to mentors can help students build social, aspirational, and navigational capital that will be useful during the internship acquisition process and full-time employment after college. Structural support for paid internships for underrepresented students will help to provide parity in experiential learning and paid internships. There are many factors that may explain why there are so few students of color participating in paid internships. Join us to discuss strategies that some campuses have employed to engage students of color and to share how we can work together to help underrepresented students engage in experiential learning opportunities.

Audience:

University Relations & Recruiting

Level:

Intermediate

Track:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Type:

Traditional

Main Speaker:

Erica Lake, University of South Carolina - College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

Additional Speakers: