Congratulations to Dr. Jake Simmons. His research will be in the 2019 issue of Missouri State’s research publication, Mind’s Eye.
It was recently published on the Mind’s Eye blog and highlighted on the research page.
His story focuses on previous research regarding diversity and inclusion in higher education.
Read an excerpt:
“It’s important to create safe spaces to share experiences,” Simmons said. “It’s important to students and to the fabric of a university.”
Simmons studied Black students’ experiences in predominantly white institutions, also known as PWIs.
He and his collaborators conducted individual interviews and focus groups. In total, 67 African American students answered questions about their lives at PWIs.
The students felt conflicted. They wanted to participate in their own culture. To gain acceptance, though, the students felt they had to take part in dominant traditions.
The study received national attention in prominent news outlets, like Inside Higher Education and The Huffington Post.
“It was surprising that it became national news,” Simmons said. To him, it seemed obvious.