American University Honors Research Project
Student Acculturation and Integration:
The Role of Culturally-Based Clubs at American University
How do culturally-based university clubs facilitate the assimilation, integration, stratification, or marginalization of 1st generation students into American culture?
Abstract
College campuses are known as places meant for fostering community through creative, recreational, academic, political, religious, and cultural club engagement. Across the United States, university cultural clubs have been on the rise, as diversity and equity policies have increased among higher education institutions. So what does this mean for campus wide cultural communities? In order to understand how culturally-based university clubs facilitate the assimilation, integration, stratification, or marginalization of students into American culture, we conducted a survey using likert scale and open-ended questions, thereafter synthesizing the responses according to existing literature on the processes of acculturation.
Project Summary & Details
On March 14th, 2022, students, through American University’s Honors program, released a survey to all active, culturally-based clubs on campus. Ultimately pursuing data on the measurable impacts of diversity, equity and inclusion approaches within U.S. higher education, the following data aimed to extrapolate how AU students considered extracurricular, chosen communities to be integral to their college experience.
As with other U.S. institutions, the increasingly diverse student body at American University presented alternative questions regarding assimilation, acculturation and identity for students. Compiling survey data from 20 participants, the following pages aimed to illustrate the impact of culturally-based extracurricular clubs at American University. The online, anonymous survey consisted of 12 comprehensive questions regarding participants' home environment, ethnic/cultural backgrounds and motivations for joining respective clubs on campus. We sincerely thank all members of the student body for their participation and hope the following project serves to inform, enlighten and foster more inclusive dialogue regarding AU’s community and culture.
Faculty Advisor: Professor Naomi Moland
Website Design: Angie Rivera Pavon
