Date of Award

5-11-2026

Access Restriction

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate in Education

Department

Education

School or College

School of Education

First Advisor

William Perez

Second Advisor

Cynthia Alcantar

Third Advisor

Roberta Espinoza

Abstract

A Multiple-Framework Approach to Examining the Role of College Visits in College Access and Success for First-Generation and BIPOC Students By Jameia McDuffie This mixed-methods study explored how first-generation and BIPOC college students make sense of their college visit experiences and how those moments shaped confidence, belonging, and readiness for higher education. The study draws on Possible Selves Theory (Markus & Nurius, 1986), Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005), and Critical Race Theory (Ladson– Billings & Tate, 1995) to better understand the connections students form between what they see on campus and what they imagine for themselves. These frameworks guided the analysis of how identity, representation, and access to information influence students’ interpretations of their visits. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design (Creswell & Garrett, 2008), the study first collected survey data from 43 undergraduate students and then conducted interviews with seven students who opted to share their experiences in more depth. Overall, quantitative results showed that most students left their visits feeling more confident about college, better informed about what it might take to succeed, and more able to picture themselves pursuing a degree. Representation played a meaningful role, especially for students who felt more at ease and more connected when they saw people on campus who shared similar backgrounds or identities.

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