Harnessing Community Cultural Wealth through Partnerships

Education isn’t just about textbooks and lectures; it’s about recognizing the hidden gems and strengths that students from diverse backgrounds bring to the table. That’s where community cultural wealth (CCW), a concept introduced by Yosso (2005), comes in and offers a profound asset-based lens through which to understand and address the challenges faced by underrepresented students in higher education. Community cultural wealth names and identifies certain forms of capital (described below) that students of color possess because of historic and contemporary marginalization, and can be applied to other dimensions of students’ identity (Brinkley-Etzkorn & Cherry, 2022). It’s like a treasure chest that we use to recognize the strengths and skills that low-income students carry with them on their educational journey. But here’s the kicker – these treasures often go unnoticed or undervalued.

Picture this: instead of hearing doubts like “those students aren’t ready” or “they don’t fit in,” what if we flipped the script? What if we recognized that these students are packed with lived experiences, creativity in problem-solving, and an unwavering determination to learn? That’s the mindset shift we need to adopt to empower low-income students to thrive, and it starts with embracing their Community Cultural Wealth.

So, how do we do that? One way is through strategic partnerships with industry and community colleges focused on supporting low-income and transfer students, which is the focus of this blog post and is a topic we will continue to explore in the coming months. This work highlighted in this blog post emerged from an S-STEM hub award called PROSPECT (Practices and Research on Student Pathways in Education for Community College and Transfer Students to STEM, DUE-2138066), and it’s all about understanding fair and equal partnerships between community colleges and universities. We’ve been diving deep into this project, doing case studies of S-STEM programs, and bringing together people from different institutions to figure out how we can make things better for low-income students in STEM fields.

One big takeaway from our work so far is the power of relationships. Building strong connections between colleges, universities, and students is key to helping everyone succeed. But here is the thing, most of these relationships would not have been possible without the behind-the-scenes work that S-STEM personnel do – the hidden labor – they’re the unsung heroes making everything run smoothly and we need to recognize and elevate their work (Smith et al., 2024). We’ve also noticed that not all forms of CCW are getting the recognition they deserve. That’s where we come in. We’re shining a light on the strengths that students bring from their communities and families, and we’re figuring out how to leverage those strengths to design S-STEM programs and inform instruction.

Now, let’s get into the fun stuff – the cool things happening in S-STEM programs that align with CCW.

Designing S-STEM Programs with Community Cultural Wealth

As you read through the following examples, ask yourself how your S-STEM project, department, institution, or community are designed to recognize the forms of capital that students bring with them when pursuing an education.

Aspirational Capital and Career Development Opportunities

Aspirational capital refers to the dreams, aspirations, and goals that drive students to pursue higher education and meaningful careers. Institutions can and should develop curricula that reflect the aspirations and career goals of low-income students. By aligning educational pathways with industry needs and aspirations, we can empower students to see themselves as active participants in shaping their futures.

S-STEM example: The “Bridging Institutions to Decrease Gaps in Engineering Education” (DUE – 2225128) leverages aspirational capital by working with industry partners to build pathways and internship opportunities that are aligned with student interests at Cal Poly Pomona. This innovative program will be detailed in an upcoming blog by Dr. Jeyoung Woo.

Social Capital and Network Building

Social capital refers to the networks, relationships, and social connections that individuals can leverage for mutual benefit. Institutions can facilitate the recognition of social capital by providing opportunities for students to connect with peers, faculty, alumni, and industry professionals. Through networking events, career fairs, and community partnerships, institutions empower students to build valuable relationships that can support their academic and career goals.

S-STEM example: The “Break-in Seminar” highlighted in a previous blog post by Funk and Sanders (2024) showcase how a student-driven seminar could foster community, sense of belonging, and build social networks for students. Students have these skill sets; we just need to allow them to flourish.

Linguistic Capital and Cultural Relevant Pedagogy

Linguistic capital represents the language and communication skills that students bring from their diverse backgrounds. Institutions can honor students’ linguistic  diversity by offering culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995), translated resources, and encourage students to use their home language in educational settings. Based on our study so far, linguistic capital along with familial capital were the two forms of CCW that were the least represented or directly addressed in S-STEM programing.

S-STEM example:  The Michigan Scholars program (DUE – 1742381) affirmed students who were “code switching” in different educational settings such as when meeting with the college president as compared to during scholar events. Staff named this as “code switching” and had explicit discussion about it with their scholars to support their growth.

Familial Capital and Community Engagement

Familial capital highlights the support, values, and cultural knowledge passed down through families and communities. Leveraging this form of capital can be difficult in higher education given

laws that restrict communication with parents (e.g., FERPA) but is possible by offering events open to family, recruiting through community organizations and churches, and making childcare and parental care recourses available to scholars. By engaging families in the educational process, institutions can create a supportive network that reinforces students’ academic and personal development.

S-STEM example: The PIRATES program (Providing Inclusive Residential and Transfer Experience Scholarships, DUE – 1930497) leveraged familial capital through weekly student STEM organization meetings with food as community hangouts, offering a textbook lending library (which is kind of like having an older sibling passing down their resources – whether you wanted them or not), and having the scholar application as part of course assignment (acknowledging outside commitments students have).

Navigational Capital and Mentorship Programs

Navigational capital refers to the ability to successfully navigate complex systems and institutions, and let’s face it higher education can be complex even for faculty and staff to navigate! As such, many low-income students navigational resources are inhibited within the context of higher education. Institutions can bridge this gap by offering mentorship programs, summer bridge opportunities, orientations, campus tours (of their own and other campuses), and identifying a transfer champion that is available to students in times of stress or high needs. These initiatives provide students with crucial support and guidance as they navigate academic and career pathways.

S-STEM example: The PRiSM program (Partner Relationships to Increase STEM Momentum, DUE – 2030638), leveraged navigational capital through cross-institution mentoring to align with students disciplinary background, and scholar workshops centered around financial aid, transfer coursework, and resource sharing to aid navigating higher education.  This innovative program will be detailed in an upcoming blog by the PRiSM leadership team.

Resistance Capital and Advocacy Efforts

Resistance capital represents the ability of underrepresented communities to resist and challenge oppressive structures and systems. Through advocacy efforts and community organizing, industry and community college partnerships can amplify the voices of low-income students, advocating for policy changes and institutional reforms that promote equity and social justice within education and the workforce.

S-STEM example: The Michigan Scholars program (DUE – 1742381) affirmed resistance capital through the creation of an undergraduate STEM research course that taps into students research interest, such as exploring the Flint Michigan water crisis.

Conclusion

In embracing CCW, we affirm our commitment to creating educational environments and pathways that honor the unique experiences, knowledge, and aspirations of all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Together, through collaborative efforts grounded in equity and solidarity, we can build a more just and inclusive society where every individual can thrive and contribute their full potential. We encourage you to learn more about any of the featured S-STEM programs or to initiate partnerships in your local context to support STEM students.

References

Brinkley-Etzkorn, K., & Cherry, L. (2022). A lens for transfer: A history of the theoretical frameworks and conceptual models applied to the study of transfer students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 24(1), 99-125.

Smith, W. M., Searls, M., Johnson, K., Carvalho Morone, C., Maher, M., & Hickey, M. (March, 2024). Dispelling the Illusion: Making Visible the Hidden Work of Partnerships that Support Successful Transfer Pathways. Presentation to the Community, Culture, Cooperation: Innovating Solutions to Economic Violence, Kansas City, Missouri.

Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race ethnicity and education, 8(1), 69-91.