High Impact and Broad Reach

1. High Impact and Broad Reach Practices of Inclusion for Underserved and First Generation College Students

2. George J. Sanchez, Ph.D. • Professor of History, American Studies & Ethnicity • Director, Center for Diversity & Democracy • Vice Dean for Diversity & Strategic Initiatives • Former Admissions Officer, Res Hall Advisor, Dept. Chair • Mellon-Mays, McNair Scholars, Posse Scholars, Ford Foundation Fellows, Curricular transformation, Imagining America • 25 years of training racial minority undergraduates & graduates, most of whom are first generation college students

3. University of Southern California • USC founded in 1880, private, community-focused • 37,000 students, 17,500 undergrads, 19,500 grads • Dornsife College, Grad School, 17 professional schools • USC largest private employer in L.A., located in South Central Los Angeles • Student body 14% Latino, 7% African American, 12% International • 15% first generation college (45% Latino; 5% White) • Faculty 7% Black/Latino/Native, Highest AAU faculty representation • Mission statement focusing on “Global University”

4. Defining High Impact Practices (HIPs) • 1st Yr Courses & Experiences • Common Intellectual Experiences • Learning Communities • Writing-Intensive Courses • Collaborative Assignments & Projects • Undergraduate Research • Diversity/Global Learning • Service Learning, Community-Based Learning • Internships • Capstone Courses & Projects

5. Questions to Consider • How do we increase the number of first generation college students and Black/Latino/Native students that participate in HIP activity? • How do we involve more faculty and staff in targeting Black/Latino/Native and first generation college students for HIP activity deliberately? • Which HIP activities produce greater student success with Black/Latino/Native and low income students? • What specific HIP approaches are critical to Black/Latino/Native or low income students, and which are good practice for all students? • What is the capacity of your institution to involve all students in HIP activity, and if you have to choose which students to target, how and who do you choose?

6. Layering Effect in First Year Investigation (FYI) Seminar • 2010 Pilot program of 1st yr seminars taught be tenured faculty to introduce them to college • Develop culture of “liberal education” from 1st week of school for both students and faculty • Introduce students to all that college can be (HIPs): presentations by staff and advanced students on study abroad, civic engagement, internships, research • Target 1st generation college students & undecided majors: “Going to office hours” • Use on campus “Visions & Voices” events: Anna Deveare Smith & “Twilight” • “Understanding Los Angeles”: Class trips to Olvera Street, Catalina Island & Disneyland

7. FYI Seminars at USC SEE VIDEO http://dornsife.usc.edu/videos/

8. FYI Expanded: Dornsife Faculty Fellows • 2011-12 involves 30 tenured faculty across humanities, social sciences & sciences • My role to guarantee diverse faculty participation & continued targeting of incoming 1st generation and Black/Latino students • “Understanding Los Angeles” updated • Incorporate current McNair student, Charnan Williams, research on history of Leimert Park with community-based tour

9. Norman Topping Student Aid Fund • Vice Dean responsible for 1st Gen; Student org who concentrates on 1st gen – both point to Study Abroad • NTSAF: Founded in 1970 by student initiative to make student body “less elite” • $8 applied to every student’s registration fee • Full array of support mechanisms & programming, led by student affairs support staff • 110 current Topping Scholars, leaders committed to community service • 97% first generation college • 50% Latino, 30% African American • Many from surrounding USC community

10. America in Japan SEE VIDEO http://dornsife.usc.edu/videos/

11. America in Japan • Began with research into the academic needs of 1st generation college students • Targeted 1st 2 years of college to develop interest and excitement, not traditional culmination of intensive language and cultural study • Collaboration between student services and USC Dornsife College • Start from where students are at: local diversity, seeing Japan in Los Angeles to connect to experiences abroad • Global business, Toyota/Disney, Culture: LA Dodgers, WWII experience • Utilized network of USC alumni and academic contacts in Japan • Incorporated blogging and reflection for all (window to families) and more intensive research and writing for five students • Major goal: Create community of study abroad advocates among 1st generation college student community – 8 of 13 students abroad again

12. Anthony Grimaldo and Henry Franco in China – May 2011

13. Undergraduate Research at USC • Doing this for 25 years: Faculty Member & Dept chair from CA State Dominguez Hills, research volunteer 20 yrs ago at UCLA in Mexican Deportation data • SURF: Summer Undergrad Research Fund • SOAR: Student Opportunities for Academic Research • PWP: Problems Without Passports • WiSE: Women in Science & Engineering Undergraduate Research Fund • Ronald McNair Research Program for URM and Low Income Students • Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Research Program

14. Lessons for Research Opportunities for Black/Latino Students • Must be pro-active in getting them to see themselves as researchers: Use outreach! [GE course] • Combination of group and individual research experiences works best [Topping History] • Incorporate into other HIP activity [4 SURF in Japan] • Answer the question: What impact does research have on real people? • Research as a Career vs. Research to enhance undergraduate education • Work collaboratively across several related disciplines for exposure to different pathways, especially for 1st generation college students • Research can be used as entry into disciplines and as capstones to disciplinary fields • Good research experiences often drive course selection, methods training, and path to independent inquiry and career choice

15. Diversity Course: Race & Class in Los Angeles • General Education Course in “Social Issues”: Grouped with intensive writing • Turning basic “Low Impact Practice” (lecture) into HIP • 250 students in 25 person sections: TA training • Identified Black/Latino students for McNair & Mellons Mays programs • Introduced them to LA & packed with books taught by USC faculty members • “Domestica” exercise for Global learning/diversity of race, class & gender

16. Service-Learning and Civic Engagement • USC has a strong institutional presence in local L.A. community engagement that has lasted over 40 years • Joint Educational Project (JEP) founded in 1972 to coordinate efforts, and maintains strong, long-lasting partnerships with community organizations, including schools. Sends 2,200 students into local community each year. • 20 years ago, USC made decision to concentrate on schools within 2 mile radius of both campuses to be more focused & effective • Almost all Black/Latino/1st Gen College organizations have civic engagement component & often have strong leaders that have emerged from local community

17. Writing in the Community SEE VIDEO http://dornsife.usc.edu/videos/

18. Community Engagement for Community Students • “Writing in the Community” course shows the power of civic engagement and the possibility of enhanced learning for college students – think of the experience if you were once a student in that elementary school • Unique experiences when the pathways are close to home; possibilities of tension with other students • Rather than simply a college learning exercise, could be a path-breaking experience towards a career choice as teacher or educator • Self-reflection critical to process unique experiences • Incorporate possibilities of influencing younger children at home in unique ways (Japan blogging) • Need pathways to undergraduate research and to more enhanced versions of civic engagement or internships for careers • Working across institutional settings (research university and community college) can further enhance meaning of civic engagement projects

19. “Higher education is the source of a river that waters culture and society and has the potential to nourish as it rectifies.” From Daryl G. Smith, Diversity’s Promise for Higher Education: Making It Work (2009)