Papers by Chrystal George Mwangi
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education , 2019
Based on evidence that students of color are frequently marginalized on their college campuses, t... more Based on evidence that students of color are frequently marginalized on their college campuses, this mixed-methods study examined the relationship between racial identity and campus connectedness in an
ethnically diverse sample of Black college students. Further, same-ethnic friendships were tested as a mediator of that relationship. Findings from this sample of African, Caribbean, and Black American college students (N 345) showed that students with a strong racial identity tend to feel less connected to their college campuses, but that relationship was only significant for Black American students. Students across ethnic backgrounds reported higher feelings of closeness with their same-ethnic peers than those of different ethnicities. However, those same ethnic friendships only mediated the relationship between racial identity and campus connectedness for Black Americans. The interviews supported the statistical analyses: Black students in the sample were more socially connected to those of similar backgrounds than to their campuses overall. These findings suggest that their same-ethnic peers can provide alternative spaces where racial identities are affirmed. This study underscores the need to look at the ethnic diversity in the Black college student population and may offer colleges and universities
with insight into how to best support these students.
Exploring the Social and Academic Experiences of International Students in Higher Education Institutions, 2000
The Review of Higher Education, 2015
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 2015
For decades, higher education research has recognized the importance of cross-cultural interactio... more For decades, higher education research has recognized the importance of cross-cultural interaction among students. However, this body of scholarship has largely examined this phenomenon across races, with few researchers examining within race interactions. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to examine how native-born and foreign-born Black students interact in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms. Findings reveal that there were both similarities and differences in how each group perceived each other, and that ultimately, cross-cultural engagement was beneficial for their academic development.
This study elucidates the experiences of HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities) stud... more This study elucidates the experiences of HBCU (historically Black colleges and universities) students who are racially Black, but differ in nativity and nationality from their Black American peers. The purpose is to examine Black HBCU international students' sense of belonging on campus. This study engages qualitative individual interviews with ten Black international HBCU students and utilizes the constant comparative analytic process. Findings revealed Black international HBCU students' perceptions of race and nativity shape their university experiences as they sought to maintain national identity while adjusting to the HBCU environment and engaging in cross-cultural interactions with Black Americans. Recommendations include embracing a heterogeneous perspective when developing services, programs, and research studies related to the experiences of Black students.
Chrystal A. George Mwangi and Sharon Fries-Britt disrupt the idea of a monolithic experience amon... more Chrystal A. George Mwangi and Sharon Fries-Britt disrupt the idea of a monolithic experience among Black students by reporting on Black within-group diversity and the perceptions and experiences of Black immigrants in higher education.
Foreign-born students of color arrive in the United States with racial and cultural orientations ... more Foreign-born students of color arrive in the United States with racial and cultural orientations specific to their country of origin, which are often quite distinct from issues of race and racism within the U.S. context. This qualitative study examines the college experiences of 15 foreign-born students of color to address the research question: How do foreign-born students of color perceive and respond to racialized experiences and their racial minority status in the United States? The findings of this study reveal that traditional frameworks on race and racial identity development do not fully capture the perceptions and behaviors of foreign-born students of color. Our data reveal patterns that we offer as an emergent framework on Learning Race in a U.S. Context (LRUSC). Understanding how foreign-born students make meaning of racialization in the United States can give education researchers and practitioners more holistic insight into the educational experiences of this growing student population.
Levels of state appropriations to public higher education have not kept pace with rising enrollme... more Levels of state appropriations to public higher education have not kept pace with rising enrollment and costs. Subsequently, internationalization may provide a lucrative revenue source for postsecondary institutions. This study employs an analysis of annual, state-level panel data of 50 states from 1990-2010 to address: How does state financing for higher education influence undergraduate international student enrollment at public four-year institutions? Results indicate statistically significant relationships between international undergraduate enrollment at public four-year institutions and revenue from state appropriations, tuition revenue, total revenue, nonresident tuition and fees, population between the ages of 18-24, and unemployment rates.
This study focuses on 15 foreign-born students majoring in physics who are also racial/ethnic min... more This study focuses on 15 foreign-born students majoring in physics who are also racial/ethnic minorities. We address the research question: What are the acculturation experiences of foreign-born Students of Color majoring in physics? Berry’s (2003) theory of acculturation and Bandura’s (1994) theory of self-efficacy were substantive frameworks for analyzing the data. The findings illustrate participants’ cultural, educational, and social adjustments. Emphasis is placed on how participants navigate and achieve success in this process.
This paper critically analyzes the racial positioning of Black immigrant collegians and faculty w... more This paper critically analyzes the racial positioning of Black immigrant collegians and faculty within race- based policies, practices, and discourse in U.S. higher education; illustrates how traditional constructs of race are complicated by globalization, migration, and the growing population of Black immigrants in the United States; and extends discourse on Black heterogeneity in higher education. I utilize the dual purposes of affirmative action – 1) redressing past wrongs and 2) diversity and inclusion – as frameworks to analyze the racial positioning of Black immigrants in higher education. Using this framework I compare two positions: 1) Black immigrants wrongly benefit from higher education initiatives created to redress past wrongs against Blacks who are the descendants of U.S. slaves (Graham, 2002); and 2) Campus racial diversity and multiculturalism are enhanced by the presence of Black immigrant collegians (Wilcher, 2011). Detailed analysis of the literature illustrate that the race of Black immigrants is often positioned the same as that of African Americans in higher education due to lack of disaggregation of Black student/faculty data by ethnicity, nativity, and generational status and lack of acknowledgement of Black within-group diversity. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of recognizing the complexities around definitions and perceptions of Blackness that exists on today’s college campuses.
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Papers by Chrystal George Mwangi
ethnically diverse sample of Black college students. Further, same-ethnic friendships were tested as a mediator of that relationship. Findings from this sample of African, Caribbean, and Black American college students (N 345) showed that students with a strong racial identity tend to feel less connected to their college campuses, but that relationship was only significant for Black American students. Students across ethnic backgrounds reported higher feelings of closeness with their same-ethnic peers than those of different ethnicities. However, those same ethnic friendships only mediated the relationship between racial identity and campus connectedness for Black Americans. The interviews supported the statistical analyses: Black students in the sample were more socially connected to those of similar backgrounds than to their campuses overall. These findings suggest that their same-ethnic peers can provide alternative spaces where racial identities are affirmed. This study underscores the need to look at the ethnic diversity in the Black college student population and may offer colleges and universities
with insight into how to best support these students.
ethnically diverse sample of Black college students. Further, same-ethnic friendships were tested as a mediator of that relationship. Findings from this sample of African, Caribbean, and Black American college students (N 345) showed that students with a strong racial identity tend to feel less connected to their college campuses, but that relationship was only significant for Black American students. Students across ethnic backgrounds reported higher feelings of closeness with their same-ethnic peers than those of different ethnicities. However, those same ethnic friendships only mediated the relationship between racial identity and campus connectedness for Black Americans. The interviews supported the statistical analyses: Black students in the sample were more socially connected to those of similar backgrounds than to their campuses overall. These findings suggest that their same-ethnic peers can provide alternative spaces where racial identities are affirmed. This study underscores the need to look at the ethnic diversity in the Black college student population and may offer colleges and universities
with insight into how to best support these students.