Abstract
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) produce alumni with higher well-being than their counterparts who attended predominantly White institutions (Gallup, 2019). TCU Indigenous alumni are nearly two times more likely than peers to thrive in all elements of well-being (Gallup, 2019). Likewise, Black HBCU graduates score higher on all levels of well-being (i.e., purpose, social, financial, community, physical) than non-HBCU Black graduates (Gallup, 2015). While previous scholarship suggests factors such as campus climate and faculty interactions play a role (Quaye & Harper, 2015), understudied is how the structure and composition of relationships and networks shape well-being by institution type. Utilizing an integrative mixed-methods design and guided by the theoretical frameworks of racialized organizations and relationality, this research asks: (1) How do Black and Indigenous college students characterize and experience well-being on campus? (2) What type of relationships, practices, and spaces on campus foster well-being for Black and Indigenous students? and (3) What institutional differences, if any, exist between networks and relationships that contribute to greater well-being for Black and Indigenous students? Findings from meso-level social network analysis data (25 qualitative interviews merged with quantitative survey data) will be used to create well-being network topologies and offer new methodological insights on the conditions and consequences of well-being in higher education from sociological, relational, and network perspectives, along with recommendations for policy and practice to improve current and future student experiences and outcomes.
Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) produce alumni with higher well-being than their counterparts who attended predominantly White institutions (Gallup, 2019). TCU Indigenous alumni are nearly two times more likely than peers to thrive in all elements of well-being (Gallup, 2019). Likewise, Black HBCU graduates score higher on all levels of well-being (i.e., purpose, social, financial, community, physical) than non-HBCU Black graduates (Gallup, 2015). While previous scholarship suggests factors such as campus climate and faculty interactions play a role (Quaye & Harper, 2015), understudied is how the structure and composition of relationships and networks shape well-being by institution type. Utilizing an integrative mixed-methods design and guided by the theoretical frameworks of racialized organizations and relationality, this research asks: (1) How do Black and Indigenous college students characterize and experience well-being on campus? (2) What type of relationships, practices, and spaces on campus foster well-being for Black and Indigenous students? and (3) What institutional differences, if any, exist between networks and relationships that contribute to greater well-being for Black and Indigenous students? Findings from meso-level social network analysis data (25 qualitative interviews merged with quantitative survey data) will be used to create well-being network topologies and offer new methodological insights on the conditions and consequences of well-being in higher education from sociological, relational, and network perspectives, along with recommendations for policy and practice to improve current and future student experiences and outcomes.