I am... a College Graduate: Summer Bridge Programs Cause Identity Shifts

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Karen Singer-Freeman & Linda BastoneProgram

Research students worked in small laboratory groups Academic students completed an interdisciplinary course and independent project All students resided on campus, engaged in community-building activities and attended workshopsThe summer culminated with a conference at which all students made formal presentations

Method Participants103 students from 7 community colleges

69 research, 34 academic Populations:

Under-represented minority First-generation college student Demonstrated financial need

ProcedureStudents completed the Twenty Statements Test (“I am _____”) during the 1st and 5th week.

CodingResponses were collapsed into 4 composite scores:

Positive Personality: An attribute that is a strength Negative Personality: An attribute that is a weakness Academic Self: Reference to academic status or plans, interests, or skills Future Orientation: Reference to future plans (including academic) and hopes

ResultsWe computed 2(Program: research, academic) X 2(Week: one, five) ANOVAs on the four composite scores

Do intensive summer programs cause identity shifts? Yes. All students showed a decrease in Personality Focus (positive and negative) and an increase in Academic Self and Future Orientation

Do research and academic programs differ?

Yes. Research students reported more Positive Personality and Academic Self statements than Academic students

Conclusions Students experienced identity shift over the course of a summer bridge program

Students’ statements included increased references to Academic Self and Future Orientation

Future Orientation statements reflected plans, hopefulness and expectations of future success

We hypothesize that increases in Future Orientation may support student persistence

AbstractWe examined changes in 103 community college students’ self perceptions during an intensive summer experience. Participants completed the Twenty Statements Test during the first and last week of the program. Students showed a decrease in Personality statements and an increase in Academic Self and Future Orientation statements. We hypothesize that increases in Future Orientation may support student persistence.

IntroductionThe federal government invests significant funding in programs designed to increase the number of students pursuing STEM degrees.

Participation in high-impact summer research programs increases 4-year-degree completion It is unclear how these programs influence change

Do intensive summer programs cause identity shifts?Do research and academic programs differ?

We examined changes in students’ self perceptions that occurred over the course of a 5-week summer program. Data were collected during the summers of 2009 and 2010.

Research and academic programs were housed at the same institution and recruited students from the same community colleges

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Research

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