Speaker: Selvon Waldron, SPP
Abstract: This paper investigates how the mothers of Black and Latinx boys enable successful college enrollment and completion for their sons by bravely envisioning their sons’ future college state and strategically advocating and coaching them. Utilizing ImproveCrit as the conceptual framework, this study draws on interviews with two mothers along with a focus group with seven mothers whose sons participate in a college preparation program in Washington, DC. Inductive coding showed that the mothers envisioned asset-based futures for their sons, and they articulated a strategy for providing constant support, recommending ideas to their sons to reduce their sons’ burden, and providing them with college-going training and guidance. These mothers eroded prevailing stereotypes by being engaged and hyper-interested in their son’s academic and college success. The findings suggest that schools and other educational programs could further close the college enrollment and completion gap by institutionalizing the involvement, exchange, and collaboration with the mothers of Black and Latinx boys. This research highlights mothers' critical role in shaping their sons' educational trajectories and the potential for systemic change through enhanced maternal engagement.
Research Seminar Series attendance is open to all interested faculty, staff and students.