Community College Journal of Research and Practice ISSN: 1066-8926 (Print) 1521-0413 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ucjc20 Toward a Critical Race Perspective of Transfer: An Exploration of a Transfer Receptive Culture Dimpal Jain, Santiago Bernal, Iris Lucero, Alfred Herrera & Daniel Solorzano To cite this article: Dimpal Jain, Santiago Bernal, Iris Lucero, Alfred Herrera & Daniel Solorzano (2016) Toward a Critical Race Perspective of Transfer: An Exploration of a Transfer Receptive Culture, Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 40:12, 1013-1024, DOI: 10.1080/10668926.2016.1213674 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2016.1213674 Published online: 19 Aug 2016. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 20 View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ucjc20 Download by: [University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)] Date: 28 September 2016, At: 00:45 COMMUNITY COLLEGE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2016, VOL. 40, NO. 12, 1013–1024 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2016.1213674 Toward a Critical Race Perspective of Transfer: An Exploration of a Transfer Receptive Culture Dimpal Jaina, Santiago Bernalb, Iris Luceroc, Alfred Herrerab, and Daniel Solorzanoc a Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, California State University, Northridge, California, USA; bUniversity of California, Center for Community College Partnerships, Los Angeles, California, USA; cSocial Science and Comparative Education, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA ABSTRACT In this study we highlight the five elements of a transfer receptive culture and its connection to the Summer Transfer Enrichment Program (STEP) administered by the Community College Outreach Center (CCOC) at Best Coast University (all pseudonyms). A quantitative and qualitative study was conducted focusing on five years of STEP, consisting of 87 participants (70% female, 30% male), with 90% identifying as students of color (the majority Latinx1). Fifty-six students completed a survey and 22 participated in focus group interviews. Through Critical Race Theory we found that this program embodies four out of the five transfer receptive culture elements. Students felt reassured by the longevity and presence of CCOC and that STEP addressed fears and misconceptions about transferring. In addition, students felt financially and academically supported along with being validated through coursework and workshops that were similar to their life experiences. In today’s higher education landscape nearly half of all students of color are currently attending a community college (American Association of Community Colleges, 2016). In California, one of the most populous states in the United States (U.S.), community colleges serve nearly 80% of African American and Latinx students enrolled in higher education, in addition to over 70% of Native American students and over 60% of Asian American Students (California Post-Secondary Education, 2011). Although community colleges are multimission institutions, one of the major reasons students attend is to transfer to a 4-year university, which is quickly becoming the new normal for these colleges (Marling, 2013). However, the transfer function has inequitable results for students of color, with white students transferring at higher rates on a national scale (Crisp & Nuñez, 2014). For those students who do transfer out, once they arrive at the university they often experience persistence issues and transfer shock (Laanan, 2001; Reyes, 2011). The decrease in students transferring and the lack of persistence once at the 4-year is often blamed on the student rather than focusing on institutional barriers that they have encountered. At times there is a deficit approach in community college scholarship and practice that focuses on an individual analysis versus a systemic analysis that can account for a students difficulty in succeeding in the postsecondary pipeline (Solorzano, Villalpando, & Oseguera, 2005). An alternative approach takes into account the role of both the sending and receiving institution in the transfer process as CONTACT Dimpal Jain dimpal.jain@csun.edu Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, California State University, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330. 1 We use the term Latinx in accordance with progressive social science scholarship that does not enforce a gender binary (Johnston-Guerrero, 2016; Monzó, 2016; Saunders, 2016). The following is a definition from Castro and Cortez (2016) regarding the term: “We use Latinx as a gender-neutral term to refer to female, male, transgender, gender queer, and gender nonconforming individuals who racially, ethnically, and/or culturally identify as descendants of Latin Americas—including South and Central America as well as colonized and borderized territories of North America” (p.1). © 2016 Taylor & Francis 1014 D. JAIN ET AL. well as focusing on the strength that students of color can bring to a campus (Jain, Herrera, Bernal, & Solórzano, 2011). Aligned with this critical focus that places students of color at the center of transfer discourse, this study examines the role of a transfer receptive culture through a summer transfer enrichment program (STEP, a pseudonym) at Best Coast University (BCU, a pseudonym). Overview of a Transfer Receptive Culture A transfer receptive culture (TRC) can be defined as an institutional commitment by a 4-year college or university to provide the support needed for students to transfer successfully (Jain et al., 2011). A transfer receptive culture is a natural accompaniment to a transfer sending culture at the community college, which is defined as an institutional effort to normalize the transfer function so that all students who seek to transfer are able to do so (Ornelas & Solórzano, 2004). A transfer receptive culture at the 4-year level aims to assist two-year students with navigating the community college, taking the appropriate coursework, applying, enrolling, and earning a baccalaureate degree in a timely manner (Jain et al., 2011). By utilizing the term culture we understand that it can hold numerous definitions from various disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, and ethnic studies. We are utilizing the term similar to scholars that have examined the climate and organizational components of a campus in other sectors of the educational pipeline, such as a college-going culture at the K–12 level (McDonough, 1997; Oakes, 2003). This includes not only the facilities of a campus and where they are located, but also the historical legacy of inclusion and exclusion of the campus (Harper & Hurtado, 2007), along with various components of the hidden curriculum (Margolis, 2001). A transfer receptive culture consists of five elements and ensures transfer students a sense of legitimacy as members of the university community (Jain et al., 2011). The first two elements of a transfer receptive culture that include pretransfer efforts are (a) establishing transfer of nontraditional students as a high institutional priority; and (b) providing outreach and resources that focus on the specific and unique needs of transfer students. The last three elements, which are posttransfer, include (c) offering of financial and academic support; (d) acknowledging the lived experiences that students bring and the intersectionality between community and family; and (e) creating an appropriate framework of assessment and evaluation that can lead to future scholarship on transfer students (Jain et al., 2011). Research Questions In order to further explore the model of a transfer receptive culture, this study aims to answer the following question: How, if at all, does STEP exemplify the five elements of a transfer receptive culture? STEP is a program offered by BCU’s Community College Outreach Center (CCOC, a pseudonym) where students enroll in an upper division 6-week summer course and attend supplemental workshops that centralize transfer resources. In this paper, we will begin with a discussion of how Critical Race Theory assisted us with the design and analysis of the study, the methods we employed, our findings framed by the five elements of a transfer receptive culture, and lastly the significance and implications. Theoretical Framework To examine the critical connection between community colleges and public selective 4-year colleges and universities we use the theoretical framework of critical race theory (CRT). Originating out of critical legal studies in the 1970s, the movement of critical race theory was created by activists and scholars engaged in the struggle to transform the relationship between race, racism, and power in the post-civil-rights era (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001; Ladson-Billings, 1998). CRT is used in education to highlight the creation and maintenance of inequalities experienced by people of color throughout the COMMUNITY COLLEGE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 1015 educational pipeline (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995; Ledesma & Calderón, 2015; Solorzano, 1998). When applied to higher education, critical race theory helps to uncover that “race and racism are embedded in the structures, discourses, and policies that guide the daily practices of universities” (Parker & Villalpando, 2007, p. 520.). According to Solorzano (1998), there are five tenets that form the basic perspectives, research methods, and pedagogy of a critical race theory in education: (a) The centrality and intersectionality of race and racism; (b) the challenge to dominant ideology; (c) the commitment to social justice; (d) the centrality of experiential knowledge; and (e) the interdisciplinary perspective. We employ the five tenets of a CRT in education to examine the importance of implementing a transfer-sending culture at the community college and a transfer receptive culture at the 4-year institution. In doing so, CRT allows us to centralize race and racism by viewing transfer as a racialized phenomenon and challenge the dominant ideology by reconsidering transfer as something that only the community college is responsible for facilitating. Additionally, CRT allows us to visualize transfer as a social justice tool; and by centralizing experiential knowledge, it enables us to seek the perspectives of students, faculty, and staff on improving the transfer pipeline to public selective 4-year institutions (Jain et al., 2011). Although CRT has framed much of the critical discourse in numerous higher education studies, the framework has yet to gain traction within the field of community college studies (Acevedo-Gil, Santos, Alonso, & Solorzano, 2015; Jain, 2010; Pérez Huber & Malagon, 2007). As previously mentioned, community colleges serve large numbers of students of color, and issues related to race and racism abound. Yet, few studies have operationalized community college experiences through a CRT lens. Within community college scholarship, and higher education scholarship broadly, a color-blind approach is often adopted, completely erasing the historical underpinnings that created these institutions (Harper, 2012). In addition, a CRT perspective allows to us acknowledge how students of color at the community college level often have their transfer aspirations “cooled out” (Clark, 1960, p. 569) by faculty and staff that frequently do not hold them in high regard. Add to this the deficit views that 4-year university faculty and staff often hold once a transfer student of color arrives on their campus (Chang, 2005), and the utility for a CRT approach becomes apparent as the relationship between community colleges and universities should be examined with a racialized lens. The Context We begin with a description of STEP and the Community College Outreach Center. STEP is administered through CCOC, which is housed at BCU and is one of the largest university and community college based partnership programs in California (Herrera & Jain, 2013). CCOC is one of the few centers at a public research intensive university focused on increasing the transfer and success of underserved community college students through research and practice. The center works closely with local community college districts and provides both year-round and summer academic programs for potential and current transfer students. CCOC has been a pioneer within the community college field by facilitating one of the only 6-week summer programs within its university system. STEP provides a scholarship for current community college students to enroll in a BCU general education course, free of charge, in addition to receiving key information regarding transfer admissions and support. The original mission of the program was to expose current community college students to university life through coursework and workshops related to the preparation of transfer. Over the years, the program has adopted a critical race pedagogical approach along with further stressing academic research to encourage students to persist through the postsecondary pipeline through graduate school. Although courses change each summer, students generally are able to choose an upper division class housed within one of these departments: (a) African American Studies; (b) Chicana/o Studies; (c) Communication Studies; (d) Geography; (e) Public Policy; (f) Sociology; (g) 1016 D. JAIN ET AL. Women Studies; and (h) Urban Planning. A sampling of course titles include: Cultural History of Rap; Environmentalism: Past, Present, & Future; Introduction to African American History; Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, & Transgender Studies; and Planning Issues in Latino Communities. These departments and courses were specifically picked so that community college students could experience a diverse curriculum while receiving upper division credits. In addition to the coursework, students are required to meet with a university counselor to assist them with their future course planning and major selection, prepare a draft of their personal statement for admissions, as well as attend workshops and speakers that provide them with valuable resources to help them succeed at a 4-year university. To aid them in navigating their future university homes, students take a uniquely designed student-of-color tour of the campus, receive information that focuses on undocumented students, the education pipeline and racial disparities, meet a panel of former STEP students who have transferred, as well as other workshops and activities. In addition, the two coordinators/mentors who facilitate the program coordinate presentations on university resources such as financial aid, counseling, graduate mentoring, residential life, career services, health & wellness, and institutional representatives from each of the Ethnic Studies departments within the university. These curricular and programmatic efforts encompass another component of this study that addresses the impact of critical race pedagogy. Methods In order to examine STEP and its potential connection to a transfer receptive culture, we conducted a quantitative and qualitative study that is framed by Critical Race Theory in education. The quantitative data were gathered from an electronic survey that was sent to the STEP participants. Additionally, the qualitative information was gathered from focus group interviews. In order to secure a large sample, the researchers analyzed 5 years of the STEP program data. The target population comprised 87 students. The demographic background of students included the following: 70% (n = 61) women, 30% (n = 26) as men, and the average age is 24. Three fourths of students identified as Latinx (n = 66), followed by 10.3% Asian American (n = 9), 9.09% African American (n = 8), 3.44% White, and mixed race 1.15% (n = 1). Participants were selected through purposeful criterion sampling (Creswell, 2002). Specifically, the participants had to meet the following criteria: (a) be 18 years or older to participate; (b) have completed the STEP program; and (c) have completed the electronic survey independently. The survey was sent via a Google Docs link and took 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Survey items included questions related to the effectiveness of the supplemental workshops and curriculum, how the program impacted their understanding of the transfer process, and follow-up information regarding their progress towards transfer, baccalaureate degree completion, and/or graduate school enrollment. Out of the 87 students who were sent a link, eight e-mails were returned undeliverable due to an expired address and lack of further contact information. Thus, out of the 79 remaining participants, 56 students completed the survey, which yielded a 70% response rate. Out of the 56 students who replied (39 females and 17 males), nearly 80% identified as Latinx, 10% as African American, and less than 10% as Asian American, White, or mixed-race. After completing the survey, students were invited to participate in a focus group interview. Twenty-two students participated in our focus group interviews with an even split between men and women (11 females, 11 males). Fifteen of the students identified as Latinx, five as African American, one as mixed race, and one as White. Five focus group interviews were conducted with an average time of 90 minutes. Focus groups were divided into the following transfer progress categories: (a) students enrolled in a community college planning to transfer; (b) those not enrolled at a community college without plans to transfer; (c) those who transferred to BCU; and (d) those who transferred to another institution. Each interview was recorded with the participant’s permission and transcribed for review and analysis. COMMUNITY COLLEGE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 1017 Data Analysis Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze quantitative data, and a thematic coding process was employed to analyze qualitative data. Both types of data were examined through several passes of the materials by the research team (Maxwell, 1996), which included the individual transcripts and the survey responses. Each researcher independently read and coded the data to ensure a high level of interrater reliability. After these independent readings, we then met to determine the amount of similarities or dissimilarities between our coding; we determined that we were in 80% agreement of how we were analyzing the data. We then engaged in subsequent coding rounds to discuss any discrepancies in our data analysis. We made sure to center CRT in our coding process to highlight the various ways students were mentioning race and/or racism as they described their transfer process from the community college to the university. Findings We found that the BCU STEP exemplifies four out of the five transfer receptive culture elements. In particular, participants in both the survey and focus group interviews describe their experiences with Best Coast University, Community College Outreach Center, and the Summer Transfer Enrichment Program as an integral experience to their transfer journey. A detailed description of each element, along with supporting data, follows. Element One: Institutional Priority The first element of a transfer receptive culture establishes the transfer of nontraditional, firstgeneration, low income, and underserved students as a high institutional priority to ensure the stable accessibility, retention, and graduation of transfer students (Jain et al., 2011). STEP embodies this element through the actual presence of the program and the longevity of the Center for Community College Outreach. BCU has demonstrated a commitment to potential transfer students exclusively through STEP by providing a scholarship to attend a university level transferrable course in addition to recruiting faculty and staff who donate their time to provide workshops and guest lectures related to transfer and equity. The workshops focused on topics such as transfer admissions, study skills, researcher identity, and financial aid literacy, just to name a few. In addition to the workshops and speakers, students were enrolled in an upper-division course. When asked what impact the course had on the students’ confidence to transfer, 93% of the students reported that the courses they took had a positive impact on their confidence to transfer to a 4-year university. To date, STEP has been offered every summer academic session and each admissions round yields an increase in applicants. STEP exclusively targets students who are the first in their family to go to college, come from low-income backgrounds, and/or are from underserved communities—all of which is in alignment with the first element of a transfer receptive culture. Element Two: Outreach and Resources Students felt that the second element, which encourages 4-year colleges or universities to provide outreach and resources that focus on the specific needs of transfer students while complementing the community college mission of transfer (Jain et al., 2011), was fulfilled because STEP addressed fears and misconceptions about transferring to an elite public university. Students lauded how presenters, who came from similar backgrounds as them, demystified the transfer process and provided them with examples of how to become successful university students. Raul, a first-generation Latinx college student from a suburb south of Los Angeles, had this to say about the outreach he experienced: 1018 D. JAIN ET AL. The staff at CCOC is primarily transfer students so it kind of allowed me to think that “oh, that can be me, you know, be part of the university.” The workshops were relevant, the panels were relevant, the curriculum was relevant because first of all, I saw former community college students there and what also was important was that they were students of color. The supplemental workshops, courses, and panelists were relevant to the lived experiences of students like Raul. In this way, CRT allows us to centralize the experiential knowledge of students of color. We see that here Raul felt he belonged at the university because he saw a reflection of himself in the CCOC staff and speakers during his time at STEP. Like Raul, the staff who outreached to him were people of color who shared similar community college experiences. Often outreach and resources that are provided by the university towards community colleges are not specifically tailored towards these students and do not honor their nontraditional backgrounds. As universities attempt to recruit transfer students to their campuses, it is paramount that they customize their services for students who may be older, parenting, returning from war, and/or rejoining the workforce. This outreach strategy can be fruitful as 96% of STEP students stated that the program had a positive impact on their understanding of the transfer process. Element Three: Financial and Academic Support The third element assigns institutions the task to offer financial and academic support through distinct opportunities for nontraditional/reentry transfer students so that they can achieve at high academic levels (Jain et al., 2011). This element was the most discussed among our focus group participants. The scholarship, which covers not only the cost of the course, but textbooks as well, was one of the most memorable aspects of the program. Because the majority of the 22 students who participated in our focus group identified as low-income while attending STEP, the financial assistance that the program provided was positively received. Many of the STEP students balanced attending the summer program and coursework with other noneducational demands such as employment and/or family duties. In fact, 43% of the students held a part-time job, 22% worked full-time, and 13% had dependents while enrolled in the program. In addition, 28% of the students were taking classes at the community college simultaneously while participating in STEP. Lily, an older returning student who went against her family’s wishes by attending college, stated that the most beneficial part of STEP was receiving the scholarship and the zero cost of attendance: “Having the course for free and the books, that’s definitely my number one.” She went on to say that when she returned to her community college in East Los Angeles, she informed as many as friends as she could about the free summer program at BCU. In addition to students receiving a scholarship to attend the program, the information that was presented regarding financial aid and the cost of attendance of a 4-year university was also helpful; 93% of the students ranked the financial literacy workshops as highly effective or effective. David, a first generation Latinx student from a low-income family, had this to say: I really liked the financial aid part of it because money was a big issue. It seemed impossible without $20,000 or something to pay for college when I couldn’t even make rent. But once I found out that I could get financial aid and there were scholarships, it helped me out. It was good for me. Often, first generation community college students similar to David believe they are priced out of 4-year colleges and universities and misconstrue the true cost of attending a university (McDonough & Calderone, 2006). We see here that the financial aid part of the STEP program assisted David in dispelling these myths and helped him become aware of the different forms of financial aid that could offset the cost of attending college. Not all students qualified for federal financial aid, however, especially if they identify as undocumented. Tony, who openly shared with us his undocumented status during the focus group session, expressed through tears how his financial struggles had many layers: COMMUNITY COLLEGE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 1019 I think for me personally it [STEP] helped me a lot especially because of my AB 540 status, it bridges and creates that opportunity. So for me education has been kind of a challenge, financially trying to pay it all off out of pocket and scholarships. So being able to be here and able to afford this education, I had to do a lot of sacrifices and work [hard] to be here. Students who identify as AB 540 benefit from a California assembly bill that allows them to pay in-state tuition fees versus out-of-state fees if they attended a California high school for three years, graduated from a California high school, and filled out an affidavit that states they will apply for U.S. residency as soon as possible (New Partnership Foundation, 2010). Some AB 540 students identify as undocumented and utilize their AB 540 status to pay in-state fees (Gonzales, 2009). Because undocumented students do not qualify for federal financial aid (although the newly adopted California Dream Act [AB 130 and AB 131] allows for undocumented students to utilize state financial aid [California Student Aid Commission, 2012]), Tony had to navigate higher education structures differently from his peers, which often caused him great stress and hardship. In addition to the financial support, students spoke highly of the academic support that was provided such as opportunities to improve their writing, learning more about the expectations and structure of the university, and how to develop better study habits. The students had the opportunity to rank the effectiveness of the different workshops they participated in. They ranked the Student Success Skills workshops as most effective, and the research related workshops ranked as a close second. The goals of the workshops were to socially and academically prepare students for the demands of a 4-year university and expose them to the many resources available to them at a college campus. Titles of academic workshops given by BCU staff and faculty included Writing at the University Level, Stress and Time Management, and Research Opportunities for North Campus (Social Science & Humanities) and South Campus (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math [STEM]) majors. Luna, a Latinx student who is a mother of one, transferred to another university in BCU’s system. When asked what was the most beneficial part of the STEP program she expressed, “Taking the class was really beneficial, but what … really helped me, personally…was the exposure during the tutoring, the exposure that you get from all the workshops telling you where’s this, where is the financial aid [office], or how to work financial aid, or how to work these things that sometimes you don’t even know exist.” Luna felt more academically and socially prepared with the transition from community college to a research institution compared to other newly admitted transfer students. Because of STEP, Luna felt confident seeking the research and scholarship office at her new campus upon arrival. Although Luna was not admitted to BCU, she expressed that transferring to one of the other institutions in the system was a good fit for her and her family, and that the academic and social support provided by STEP facilitated her in this transition. Element Four: Community and Family Support Element four states that in order to build a transfer receptive culture the 4-year institution must acknowledge the lived experiences that students bring and the intersectionality between community and family (Jain et al., 2011). Element four was felt by the students both through the coursework and the supplemental programming. Students shared that STEP provided them with mentorship that acknowledged their intersecting identities such as being undocumented, having a learning disability, being older than traditional students, having children, or taking care of their elders. By having CRT guide us in the analysis of the study we were able to center how these students' racial identities often intersected with their academic, community, and family lives. For instance, during the program, Jasmine, an African American woman had to travel back and forth to the east coast to visit her grandmother who had a terminal illness. She was enrolled in a Women’s Studies course that, for the first time, let her explore the intersections between her sexuality and gender in a classroom setting. Jasmine considered dropping out of the program but she was encouraged by the coordinators and the teaching assistant to stay, and they advised her to 1020 D. JAIN ET AL. talk to the professor about her situation. The professor gave Jasmine extra time to complete her course work and allowed her to e-mail her the assignments from her hometown in Michigan. Unfortunately, a day after she returned from the east coast her grandmother passed away. Jasmine immediately turned around and returned to Detroit for the funeral services and then once again traveled back to Los Angeles to complete the program. She shared that although her experience with STEP was at an arduous time of her life, it demonstrated to her that she was capable of succeeding at a 4-year institution: The program overall showed me that I can do it and be a successful university student and that I can be at BCU or USC [University of Southern California] or NYU [New York University] or any university because I completed the course with a B and that was with rushed papers. That happening for me [her grandmothers passing] and getting a B, I was like okay, I actually feel like I can belong at BCU. Jasmine had intentions to transfer to a 4-year university, either BCU or another 4-year institution. However, she was struggling to fulfill the math requirement at her community college, and she eventually stopped out and did not apply to transfer. Her experience is aligned with element four as both the site coordinators and the professor acknowledged Jasmine’s experience having to deal with her grandmother’s terminal illness and the pressure of participating in an intensive summer program. Although she did not transfer, she felt that she belonged at a university campus. Therefore the belief that only certain students can attend a prestigious university and do well was demystified. Stacy, a student from East Los Angeles also shared how her experience in her Chicano Studies course, Health in the Latino/Chicano Population, intersected with her family and community life: “I learned a lot and it being in public health [the course was also cross-listed in this field], and understanding my own family, I have diabetics in my family, both my parents are. I can see the connections within that.” We see here that Stacy was able to directly link what she was learning in the classroom to her family’s health issues at her home. Lastly, Ramon, a student from El Salvador, shared that after hearing critical race scholar Daniel Solorzano speak to his STEP cohort about the Latinx education pipeline, that he had a profound cultural and academic awakening: It made me much more proud of my roots, of my background, of my inheritance, and of my parents. [Just] because my parents didn’t graduate high school, or because my parents made it to the second grade, doesn’t mean that they’re any less than anybody else. Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean that you’re a good person…I feel when I say my name I say it with my Spanish accent and I’m proud of saying it. When I say where I’m from, I’m proud saying it. I’m much more comfortable being myself now and being an immigrant, being a person of color, being this color. I’m much more proud of who I am and of my family. If I could choose to be born again I would probably be a Latino again. Ramon shared this sentiment with us in a very impassioned tone that almost caused applause among the focus group. Through this exclamation, Ramon shared the community cultural wealth that his parents provided and how this further solidified his racial identity. Community cultural wealth, aligned with CRT, posits that the familial capital consists of “those cultural knowledges nurtured among familia (kin) that carry a sense of community, history, memory, and cultural intuition” (Yosso, 2005, p. 79). Having a presenter reinforce his parents' Latinx narrative from an asset based approach allowed Ramon to connect to his family and culture in an affirming manner. Element Five: Research and Assessment The last element, element five, asks the institution to create an appropriate and organic framework from which to assess, evaluate, and enhance transfer receptive programs to further scholarship on transfer students. Students did not speak directly to this element, neither in the focus groups nor in the survey. However, by conducting this study, our goal is to further contribute to the emerging body of literature pertaining to transfer receptivity (Bahr, Toth, Thirolf, & Massé, 2013; Crisp & Nuñez, 2014; Handel, 2011). Currently within the community college and transfer literature, the COMMUNITY COLLEGE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 1021 term of a transfer receptive culture is gaining traction (Bahr et al., 2013; Castro & Cortez, 2016; Wood & Moore, 2015). However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical study that has attempted to provide data to examine the applicability of the five elements to a 4-year campus transfer oriented program. Interconnection of TRC Elements As we described each element in isolation above and explained how CRT aided us in our analysis in taking a more in-depth critical approach towards these students’ experiences, we began to realize as a research team that often the elements appeared to overlap and intersect. This intersectionality pointed towards the fluidity and complexity of student’s lives. A transfer receptive culture should not be seen as a rigid set of rules and a perfectly sequential set of steps. Rather, it should be seen as a guiding structure that aids in facilitating the transfer process for students with complicated lives. One such student is Korinna, a Latinx student from the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles who attended three community colleges prior to transferring to BCU. While in STEP, she also enrolled in a Women’s Studies course similar to Jasmine. And when asked if the workshops and courses from the STEP incorporated her lived experiences, Korinna expressed, “… it validated my story. It validated the fact that I was not only a woman, but a woman of color. What that meant and how could I use that to push me forward, not to keep me down or push myself down. That was empowering.” Korinna expressed how powerful she felt from the new material she was learning in class. Her experience taking the course interconnects with elements three and four of a transfer receptive culture. Element three focuses on providing a supportive academic environment for transfer students, and element four acknowledges the lived experiences of the student. In Korinna’s case, she felt empowered by what she learned in her class and how it affirmed her identity as a woman of color, which also pushed her to succeed academically. This success ultimately led her to her transfer and graduate from BCU with a dual major in Women’s Studies and Chicana/o Studies. Conclusion and Implications Viewing transfer from a 4-year perspective is a significant contribution to the research and policies surrounding the transfer function. Often the onus to increase transfer is on the community college; yet, through this study, we shift the gaze to the 4-year college. This is an important shift because highly selective public colleges and universities are not often held accountable in the transfer process—either in literature or practice (Jain et al., 2011). Our findings point towards the STEP program fulfilling four out of the five elements through the coursework the program provides, the speakers and workshops students engage with, and the community building practices that take place. A CRT analysis allows us to center race at the core of these experiences. Additionally, of the 56 students who participated in the survey, 51 applied to transfer to a 4-year university; this represents 91% of the sample. A total of 75% students transferred, 8% went on to attend a private or other state school, 6% of the students transferred to another campus within the BCU system, and 53% of the STEP students who applied were admitted and enrolled at BCU. Lastly, six students did not transfer, which equals to 10% of our sample. In terms of policy and practice, we realize that—depending on the campus climate—implementing or strengthening a transfer receptive culture at an institution may not be an easy task. It takes buy-in from several campus stakeholders including faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community members. The ability to build bridges across departments and colleges regarding any policy can be a daunting task, and we do not want to trivialize the importance of such endeavors. What can be done, however, is to first establish that transfer matters within your unit and that transfer students of color are to be honored and legitimized and not seen as an afterthought at best, or a nuisance at worst. It may be a good idea to take an inventory of spaces and places that already 1022 D. JAIN ET AL. may be transfer friendly and to identify individuals who can be transfer allies and advocates. Campus officials can ask themselves questions regarding their programming and curriculum such as How are transfer students of color included or excluded? How would a transfer student of color feel in this class or in this program? and Would this transfer student of color recommend other students to transfer to this institution based on their experiences? In this article, we focus on a particular college access program, STEP. Research related to the recruitment and retention of transfer students through cocurricular programming is limited (Blaylock & Bresciani, 2011). Often, this research is conducted for high school students transitioning to their freshman year. However, more research is needed in order to better design, implement, and assess appropriate programming for transfer students. This type of research inquiry should especially center the campus racial climate that students are transferring into. We acknowledge that college access programs are not cure-all’s to addressing transfer receptivity, but they are an important initial step for a campus as they begin to employ the five elements of a transfer receptive culture. In addition, further research is also encouraged that follows students who begin their transfer journey with a college access program hosted by the 4-year university through the students' enrollment, retention, and graduation from a baccalaureate granting institution and beyond. Ultimately, we value that placing students of color in the center of transfer discourse is necessary to debunk the belief that students of color are academically inferior and that transferring to a 4-year university is solely the responsibility of the student (Ornelas & Solórzano, 2004; Rendón, 1993; Rhoads & Valadez, 1996). By viewing the transfer process through the lens of CRT, the necessity of both community colleges and 4-year colleges working together to increase the degree attainment of first generation, underserved, low income students of color becomes apparent. Through the five elements of a transfer receptive culture, we are able to illuminate the necessary strategies to accept transfer students as a high priority for selective public colleges and universities through college access programming. These elements are crucial to maintain because the California master plan for higher education continues to stratify access to the top tier of the postsecondary system (Johnson, 2010). References Acevedo-Gil, N., Santos, R. E., Alonso, L., & Solorzano, D. G. (2015). Latinas/os in community college developmental education: increasing moments of academic and interpersonal validation. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 14(2), 101–127. doi:10.1177/1538192715572893 American Association of Community Colleges. (2016). Fast facts. Retrieved from http://www.aacc.nche.edu/AboutCC/ Pages/fastfactsfactsheet.aspx Bahr, P. R., Toth, C., Thirolf, K., & Massé, J. C. (2013). A review and critique of the literature on community college student’s transition processes and outcomes in four-year institutions. In M. B. Paulsen (Ed.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research (pp. 459–511). New York, NY: Springer. Blaylock, R. S., & Bresciani, M. J. (2011). Exploring the success of transfer programs for community college students. Research & Practice in Assessment, 6, 43–61. California Postsecondary Education Commission. (2011). Total enrollment for 2008 aggregated by higher education system and ethnicity. Retrieved from http://www.cpec.ca.gov/OnLineData/GenerateReport.ASP California Student Aid Commission. (2012). California dream act. Retrieved from http://www.csac.ca.gov/dream_act.asp Castro, E. L., & Cortez, E. (2016). Exploring the lived experiences and intersectionalities of Mexican community college transfer students: Qualitative insights toward expanding a transfer receptive culture. Community College Journal of Research and Practice. Advanced online publication. doi:10.1080/10668926.2016.1158672 Chang, J. C. (2005). Faculty-student interaction at the community college: A focus on students of color. Research in Higher Education, 46(7), 769–802. doi:10.1007/s11162-004-6225-7 Clark, B. R. (1960). The “cooling out” function in higher education. American Journal of Sociology, 65(6), 569–576. doi:10.1086/222787 Creswell, J. W. (2002). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. COMMUNITY COLLEGE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 1023 Crisp, G., & Nuñez, A. (2014). Understanding the racial transfer gap: Modeling underrepresented minority and nonminority students pathways from two-to four-year institutions. The Review of Higher Education, 37(3), 291–320. doi:10.1353/rhe.2014.0017 Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2001). Critical race theory: An introduction. New York, NY: New York University Press. Gonzales, R. (2009). Young lives on hold: The college dreams of undocumented students. Retrieved from http:// professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/young-lives-on-hold-college-board.pdf. Handel, S. J. (2011). Transfer and the role of two-and four-year institutional partnerships in addressing the nation’s workforce and educational equity needs. Journal of Applied Research in the Community College, 18(2), 6–12. Harper, S. R. (2012). How higher education researchers minimize racist institutional norms. The Review of Higher Education, 36(1), 9–29. doi:10.1353/rhe.2012.0047 Harper, S. R., & Hurtado, S. (2007). Nine themes in campus racial climates and implications for institutional transformation. New Directions for Student Services, 2007(120), 7–24. doi:10.1002/(ISSN)1536-0695 Herrera, A., & Jain, D. (2013). Increasing transfer student diversity in the absence of affirmative action. Diversity & Democracy, 16(2), 16–18. Jain, D. (2010). Critical race theory and community colleges: Through the eyes of women student leaders of color. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 34(1), 78–91. doi:10.1080/10668920903385855 Jain, D., Herrera, A., Bernal, S., & Solórzano, D. (2011). Critical race theory and the transfer function: Introducing a transfer receptive culture. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 35(2), 252–266. doi:10.1080/ 10668926.2011.526525 Johnson, H. (2010). Higher education in California: New goals for the master plan. Retrieved from http://www.ppic.org/ main/publication.asp?i=916 Johnston-Guerrero, M. P. (2016). Embracing the messiness: Critical and diverse perspectives on racial and ethnic identity development. New Directions for Student Services, 2016(154), 43–55. doi:10.1002/ss.2016.2016.issue-154 Laanan, F. S. (2001). Transfer student adjustment. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2001(114), 5–13. doi:10.1002/cc.16 Ladson-Billings, G. (1998). Just what is Critical Race Theory and what’s it doing in a nice field like education? International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(1), 7–24. doi:10.1080/095183998236863 Ladson-Billings, G., & Tate, W. F. (1995). Toward a critical race theory of education. Teachers College Record, 97(1), 47–68. Ledesma, M. C., & Calderón, D. (2015). Critical Race Theory in education: A review of past literature and a look to the future. Qualitative Inquiry, 21(3), 206–222. doi:10.1177/1077800414557825 Margolis, E. (2001). The hidden curriculum in higher education (Ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. Marling, J. L. (2013). Navigating the new normal: Transfer trends, issues, and recommendations. New Directions for Higher Education, 2013(162), 77–87. doi:10.1002/he.v2013.162 Maxwell, J. A. (1996). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage . McDonough, P., & Calderone, S. (2006). The meaning of money: Perceptual differences between college counselors and low-income families about college costs and financial aid. American Behavioral Scientist, 49(12), 1703–1718. doi:10.1177/0002764206289140 McDonough, P. M. (1997). Choosing colleges: How social class and schools structure opportunity. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Monzó, L. D. (2016). “They don’t know anything!”: Latinx immigrant students appropriating the oppressor’s voice. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 47(2), 148–166. doi:10.1111/aeq.2016.47.issue-2 New Partnership Foundation. (2010). Scholarly research on undocumented students: Information for AB 540 students, families, and advisors. Retrieved from http://ab540.com/ Oakes, J. (2003). Critical conditions for equity and diversity in college access: Informing policy and monitoring results. Los Angeles, CA: University of California All Campus Consortium on Research for Diversity. Retrieved from http:// escholarship.org/uc/item/427737xt#page-2 Ornelas, A., & Solórzano, D. G. (2004). Transfer conditions of Latina/o community college students: A single institution case study. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 28(3), 233–248. doi:10.1080/ 10668920490256417 Parker, L., & Villalpando, O. (2007). A racecialized perspective on education leadership: Critical race theory in educational administration. Educational Administration Quarterly, 43(5), 519–524. doi:10.1177/0013161X07307795 Pérez Huber, L., & Malagon, M. (2007). Silenced struggles: The experiences of Latina and Latino undocumented college students in California. Nevada Law Journal, 7(3), 841−861. Rendón, L. I. (1993). Eyes on the prize: Students of color and the bachelor’s degree. Community College Review, 21(2), 3–13. doi:10.1177/009155219302100202 Reyes, M. (2011). Unique challenges for women of color in STEM transferring from community colleges to universities. Harvard Educational Review, 81(2), 241–263. doi:10.17763/haer.81.2.324m5t1535026g76 Rhoads, R. A., & Valadez, J. R. (1996). Democracy, multiculturalism, and the community college: A critical perspective. New York, NY: Garland. 1024 D. JAIN ET AL. Saunders, T. (2016). Towards a transnational hip-hop feminist liberatory praxis: A view from the Americas. Social Identities: Journal for the Study of Race, Nation, and Culture, 22(2), 178–194. doi:10.1080/13504630.2015.1125592 Solorzano, D. G. (1998). Critical Race Theory, race and gender microaggressions, and the experience of Chicana and Chicano scholars. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 11(1), 121–136. doi:10.1080/ 095183998236926 Solorzano, D. G., Villalpando, O., & Oseguera, L. (2005). Educational inequities and Latina/o undergraduate students in the United States: A critical race analysis of their educational progress. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 4 (3), 272–294. doi:10.1177/1538192705276550 Wood, J. L., & Moore, C. (2015). Engaging community college transfer students. In S. R. Harper & S. J. Quaye (Eds.), Student engagement in higher education: Theoretical perspectives and practical approaches for diverse populations (2nd ed., pp. 271–288). New York, NY: Routledge. 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. doi:10.1080/1361332052000341006