The purpose of this study was to determine if and when activism is a choice or a responsibility to understand identity-based activism and the impact it has on Black and African American students in higher education. Through a qualitative research approach, this study examined the experiences of six Black and African American students who…

Adults with disabilities are more likely than their non-disabled peers to struggle with self-advocacy after graduating from school, as they are less likely to have the skills or knowledge necessary to communicate their needs, access services, or exercise their rights in communities and workplaces. Special Education transition programs are…

This study aimed to examine LGBTQ+ students' perspectives on school safety using their own experiences and voices because most research relies on survey data that limits LGBTQ+ student voices. This qualitative study conducted a focus group interview with eight participants to better understand their perspectives on school safety. Through the…

When white students get stuck in emotional turmoil, they often spend much energy trying to prove they are not racist, instead of learning, growing, or fighting racism. This article explores how white students in college develop as people committed to racial justice. A critical qualitative approach uses constructivist grounded theory methodology.…

This research explores how adolescent females who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience secondary education in England and make sense of their identity. Within schools, responsibility for supporting this population is placed in the hands of teachers, though prior research suggests that teachers feel…

Research about students' sense of belonging during major adverse events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. Using data from two public universities, we ask: How do students experience belonging in times of adversity? What factors affect their experience? "Feeling Disconnected" emerged as the major theme describing negative changes…

There is a broad disconnect between the beauty cultivated by disabled communities and the ways in which schools continue to position disability as a problem that resides in the individual student. To shift conceptions of disability in schools, there is a significant need to educate folks about disability history and pride, especially disabled…

The current study examined the cultural competence of participants (n = 447) beginning with their cultural knowledge as articulated through their definitions of diversity. The study employed a descriptive research enquiry using a survey design to gather data at a single point in time. Participants consisted of faculty, staff, and pre-service…

As more autistic students enroll in postsecondary education, they embark on a journey that leads them to not only process their identities as college students but also as autistic individuals. This social constructivist grounded theory study elevated autistic college students' perspectives as they made sense of their identities while participating…

This conceptual article explains how school counselors can increase awareness of size discrimination and address sizeist attitudes and biases in U.S. schools. Sizeism can begin in early childhood and continue into young adulthood, with damaging effects on student wellness. Sizeist biases in society are reflected in school systems. We suggest…

This study investigated the experiences of Muslim students attending Canadian institutions of higher education in the context of increasing Islamophobia. Qualitative semi-structured interviewing was used to explore the impact of anti-Muslim sentiment on the academic experiences of Muslim students and patterns of identity construction subsequent to…

Purpose: The number of students with disabilities pursuing a college education has increased dramatically in recent years (Hall and Belch, 2000; Hitchings et al., 2011; Horn et al., 2006; Retish and Horvath, 2005; Snyder et al., 2016; Stodden et al., 2001), yet, evidence suggests that these students continue to encounter significant challenges and…

To foster development of cultural humility in social work students, educators must listen carefully to students to uncover and disrupt implicit biases about other groups. This study was a narrative analysis of undergraduate social work student papers about identity and intersectionality where most students wrote about religion/spirituality and how…

Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study explored the unique experiences, needs, challenges, and coping mechanisms of six Muslim-American students attending public high schools in the Midwestern United States. Three distinct themes emerged from the participants' interviews and artifacts: (a) climate: experiences of school…

Youth of Color sit at the intersection of multiple systems of oppression--classism, racism, and sexism. Too often, Youth of Color are pushed out of traditional schools and are further marginalized by being assigned to alternative education programs, including continuation high schools. To address a recurring issue of dynamic inequality in which…