Preparing For The Post-college Transition

Preparing for the Post Un ive rs it y Tra n s it io n : Su p p o rt in g Ho m e le s s , Em a n c ip a t e d , O rp h a n e d , a n d O t h e r In d e p e n d e n t St u d e n t s

Carrie Hachadurian Career Services Practitioner & HESA Graduate Student April Perry HESA Graduate Program Director & Asst. Professor Sophia Calhoun HESA Graduate Student

2

Our discussion today 1. Id e n t ify c u rre n t re se a rc h re g a rd in g t h e p o s t -c o lle g e t ra n sit io n a n d re se a rc h o n t h e e xp e rie n c e s o f in d e p e n d e n t c o lle g e st u d e n t s.

...

2. En g a g e in a d isc u ssio n w it h t h re e c a m p u s re p re se n t a t ive s (fo rm e r in d e p e n d e n t st u d e n t , p ra c t it io n e r, a n d fa c u lt y) o n h o w t o b e st su p p o rt t h is st u d e n t p o p u la t io n re g a rd in g t h e p o st c o lle g e t ra n sit io n .

3. D e ve lo p t a n g ib le s t ra t e g ie s o n h o w t o p re p a re a n d su p p o rt in d e p e n d e n t st u d e n t s fo r life a ft e r c o lle g e .

3

Research: Th e P o s t -Un ive rsit y Tra n s it io n WHAT’S THE ISSUE? “In h ig h sc h o o l p e o p le t e ll yo u h o w t o t ra n sit io n in t o c o lle g e …yo u se e a list o f t h in g s t h a t yo u n e e d a n d yo u c a n c a ll yo u r RA [re sid e n t a d viso r] t o a sk q u e st io n s. Bu t t h e re ’s n o RA a ft e r yo u g ra d u a t e ! …it ’s ju st yo u , a n d yo u b e t t e r g e t yo u r c ra p fig u re d o u t , o r yo u ’re g o in g t o g e t le ft b e h in d . So , I d o n ’t kn o w w h a t t h e so lu t io n is, b u t t h e re ’s g o t t o b e so m e t h in g b e t t e r t h a n – o k a y, h e re ’s yo u r d e g re e …h a ve a g o o d life …g ive u s m o n e y w h e n yo u m a k e so m e .”

4

Research: Th e P o s t -Un ive rsit y Tra n s it io n ▸ Th e t ra n sit io n fro m c o lle g e st u d e n t t o c o lle g e g ra d u a t e c a n b e a d iffic u lt t im e

(Alle n & Ta ylo r, 20 0 6 ; Go e t s c h , J o rd a n , J u n g , La m p m a n , No b b s ,

& Ru iz, 20 10 ; Gu ic h a rd , P e rry, 20 12; P o u ya u d , d e Ca la n , & D u m a ra , 20 12; La n e , Le ib e rt , & Go ka -D u b o s e , 20 17).

▸ Co lle g e g ra d u a t e s a re e xp e c t e d t o b e p syc h o lo g ic a lly,

p h ysic a lly, fin a n c ia lly, e m o t io n a lly, a n d so c ia lly c a p a b le o f n a vig a t in g life ’s c h a lle n g e s a n d e xp e c t a t io n s o f so c ie t y. (Fo x, 20 11; P e rry, 20 12)

▸ It c a n b e w ro u g h t w it h st re ss, a n xie t y, a n d d e p re ssio n ▹ jo b se a rc h p ro c e ss ▹ fin a n c ia l c o n c e rn s ▹ frie n d sh ip s/re la t io n sh ip s ▹ life sk ills ▹ p la n n in g fo r fu t u re e n d e a vo rs (Alle n & Ta ylo r, 20 0 6 ; Go e t s c h e t a l, 20 10 ; Fo x, 20 11; Gu ic h a rd e t a l, 20 12; P e rry, 20 12; La n e e t a l, 20 17).

5

Research: In d e p e n d e n t Co lle g e St u d e n t s ▸ Fo rm e r fo st e r c a re a lu m n i

▹ 70 % in d ic a t e a n in t e re st in g o in g t o c o lle g e ▹ O n ly 10 % e n ro lle d

(Ra s s e n , e t a l., 20 10 )

(Ra s s e n , e t a l., 20 10 )

a n d o n ly 4 % g ra d u a t e d fro m

c o m m u n it y c o lle g e ; o n ly 2% g ra d u a t e d w it h a t le a st a b a c h e lo r’s d e g re e . (Sa la za r, 20 12; Sa la za r, 20 13)

▸ Ho m e le ss/h o u sin g in se c u re st u d e n t s

▹ 32,0 0 0 st u d e n t s in 20 15-16 (Ha rris , 20 17)

▹ O n e st u d y sh o w e d 50 % o f st u d e n t s su rve ye d id e n t ifie d a s h o u sin g in se c u re ; 13% a s h o m e le ss (Go ld ric k-Ra b e t a l., 20 15)

▸ O rp h a n e d st u d e n t s

▸ Em a n c ip a t e d st u d e n t s

6

Research: Ch a lle n g e s d u rin g P o s t -Un ive rsit y Tra n s it io n fo r In d e p e n d e n t St u d e n t s ▸ St a b le a n d a ffo rd a b le h o u sin g ▸ Me n t a l h e a lt h c h a lle n g e s

▸ Lo w e r h o u se h o ld in c o m e ra t e s

▹ Mo re t h a n t w ic e a s like ly t o live a t o r b e lo w p o ve rt y le ve l a ft e r g ra d u a t io n (Cru s e , Ec k e rs o n a n d Ga u lt (20 18 )

▸ Hig h e r u n / u n d e re m p lo ym e n t ra t e s

7

Theoretical Framework: Sc h lo ssb e rg ’s Tra n sit io n Th e o ry

8

Theoretical Framework: Erikso n ’s P syc h o so c ia l D e ve lo p m e n t

9

Sh a rin g Exp e rie n c e s fro m 3 P e rs p e c t ive s :

Th a t o f a fa c u lt y m em ber

Th a t o f a c a re e r c e n t e r p ra c t it io n e r

Th a t o f a n in d e p e n d e n t stu d e n t

AP RIL

CARRIE

SO P HIE 10

Th e o re t ic a l Fra m e w o rk : Ad a p t a t io n o f Erik so n ’s Mo d e l fo r In d e p e n d e n t St u d e n t s

11

Research Findings Say... P o t e n t ia l in st it u t io n a l p ra c t ic e s c a n b e o rg a n ize d in t o 3 m a in c a t e g o rie s -

career preparation training .

, emotional support

, & practical life skills

● Exa m p le In st it u t io n a l St ra t e g ie s in c lu d e : ○ Fin a l-ye a r/p o st -g ra d u a t io n se m in a r ○ Su p p o rt g ro u p s fo r st u d e n t s p o st -g ra d u a t io n ○ Ho list ic c a re e r se rvic e s o ffe re d t o re c e n t a lu m n i ○ En h a n c e d in t e rn sh ip s a n d m e n t o rsh ip p ro g ra m s w it h p ro fe ssio n a ls in t h e ir c a re e r fie ld ○ Co n t in u e d u n ive rsit y st a ff m e n t o rsh ip /c o u n se lin g p o st g ra d u a t io n ○ Co m m u n it y se rvic e /vo lu n t e e r e ffo rt s fo r re c e n t g ra d u a t e s a n d yo u n g p ro fe ssio n a ls 12

But what about Strategies Sp e c ific a lly fo r In d e p e n d e n t St u d e n t s ?

Le t ’s sh a re a n d st ra t e g ize o n c u rre n t a n d /o r b e st p ra c t ic e s fo r su p p o rt in g in d e p e n d e n t c o lle g e g ra d u a t e s in t h e p o st -u n ive rsit y t ra n sit io n .

13

“There is need to guide students in managing their own expectations (about transition and life after university) by helping them understand their shifting identities and the uncertainty that often accompanies the post-university transition.” 14

Questions? P le a se fe e l fre e t o st a y in t o u c h w it h u s! Ca rrie : c p h a c h a d u ria n @ w c u .e d u Ap ril: a lp e rry@ w c u .e d u So p h ie : so p h ia k c a lh o u n @ g m a il.c o m

15