Role
Researcher
Timeline
August 2019 - August 2021
Skills
User Research & Interviews
Research Reports
Data Analysis
Quantitative Research
Tools
SurveyMonkey
Tableau
Google Suite
THE IDENTIFIED PROBLEM
At SMU, underrepresented students (international, first-generation, and transfer students) face barriers to fully thriving in the university environment. Supporting these diverse student populations impacts both their individual success and the university's commitment to inclusive excellence.
WHO ARE THESE STUDENTS?
International Students
Non-U.S. citizens enrolled at American universities. Over 1 million international students study in the U.S. annually, yet research shows they experience a significantly lower "sense of community" than domestic peers.
First-Generation Students
First in their immediate family to attend college. They show performance gaps compared to peers with college-educated parents, struggle with unfamiliar academic expectations, and often underutilize campus resources due to hesitancy or lack of awareness.
Transfer Students
Students who attend multiple institutions. The transfer process often causes "transfer shock," resulting in lower grades, extended time to graduation, and weakened social connections. This diverse group spans varied ages, racial backgrounds, and economic circumstances.
How might we create systems that enable underrepresented students (international, first-generation, and transfer students) to thrive at Southern Methodist University?
STUDYING POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Surviving
What can’t be changed
Who you are and where you’ve been
Fix weaknesses
Failure prevention
Thriving
What can be changed
Who you can become and where you're going
Build on talent
Success promotion
DEFINING THRIVING
"Getting the most out of the college experience so that students are intellectually, socially, and psychologically engaged and enjoying the college experience."
Research Criteria
Measurable
📏
Empiriclly connected to student success
🧑🏻🤝🧑🏽
🔨
Malleable (state vs. trait)
Interventions make a difference
🤝🏻
OVERVIEW
Approach: Mixed Methods Research
We conducted the research in two phases:
1)
Survey
2)
Semi-structured Interviews
THE SURVEY
We used: Thriving Quotient Survey
It showed us: Where students struggle and succeed
Format: 72 questions, 6-point scale measuring 5 factors predicting student success
Our Goal: Identify specific areas where underrepresented students thrive or struggle compared to peers
POPULATION & SAMPLE
We sent this survey out to all international, first-generation, and transfer students enrolled (full or part-time) at the research site for fall 2019.
Accessible Population
1,777 students
Responses
243
Response Rate
14%
Completed Responses
148
INTERVIEWS
I followed up with survey participants through one-on-one interviews. These conversations explored their personal backgrounds and tackled our core question: "What experiences this semester shaped your sense of thriving or struggling at SMU?"
Interview with an international student
ANALYZING THE DATA
Our exploration of survey responses and student interviews revealed six crucial factors that shape underrepresented students' ability to thrive at SMU.
1)
University Support Systems
Students struggle with course enrollment, class sequencing, and administrative policies.
💭
"Resources are impossible to reach when you have to go through 10+ people."
2)
Faculty Impact
Professor attitudes significantly affect student thriving.
💭
"My comments and questions are constantly shut down by my professor, made fun of, and my beliefs disregarded..."
3)
External Life Changes
Non-university events create significant barriers.
💭
"Lots of outside factors - I was very sick. There was a tornado that destroyed my parents' home."
4)
Financial Pressures
Money concerns universally hinder student success.
💭
"It is hard for me to pay my tuition by myself. I have little chance to work to pay for my tuition."
5)
Self-Confidence
Students struggle with academic self-efficacy and expectations.
💭
"[I] go to class everyday and [am] still not getting the grades I want."
6)
Sense of Belonging
Campus community experiences vary dramatically.
💭
"It's difficult to make friends or feel a part of the university if you have not been in a fraternity/sorority."
THE UNIVERSITY SHOULD...
support students through sudden or unexpected issues
employ identity-conscious programming
create interventions related to social connectedness of underrepresented students
POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATIONS
Events connecting international and transfer students with the broader campus community
Group-specific orientations with detailed information relevant to them
On-campus help desk where students can access necessary forms, information, and request extensions due to personal circumstances