1

“The Why and How of Multicultural Competence

in College Admissions Counseling”

Nicole Cook, Atlanta International School

Sarbeth J. Fleming, Davidson College

Brandi Smith, Charlotte Country Day School

2

The Danger of A Single Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=D9Ihs241zeg#t=179s

3What is Multicultural Competence According to Professional Counseling Standards?

Awareness of Own Cultural Values and Biases

Understanding of Client’s Worldview

Use of Culturally Appropriate Intervention Strategies

(Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development, Multicultural Counseling Competencies)

4Awareness of Own Cultural Values and Biases

Why?• Your own background and experiences influence you• You have strengths and areas of discomfort• You are a part of the social milieu

How?• Understand yourself as a racial/cultural being through

reflection• Seek consultation with others• Seek further training

5Understand the Worldview of Culturally Diverse Students

Why?• Race and culture can be a part of students’ choices• Sociopolitical influences may impinge on the lives of

racial and ethnic minorities• Ability to contrast your own preconceived ideas

How?• Research• Educational experiences/Professional Development• Critical peers• Life experience

6

And finally…

Multicultural interactions are a part of our everyday lives.

Don’t be afraid to acknowledge difference in conversations and allow others to be free to discuss differences in conversation with you!

7Use Culturally Appropriate Intervention Strategies

Why?• Understanding others values can facilitate helping

(indigenous practices, helping networks, bilingualism) • Recognizing institutional barriers may be a necessary

aspect of intervention• What we are doing may clash or have bias!

How?• Be flexible• Take risks• Ask for help• Be empowered!

8Professional Experiences of Multicultural Competence

Open discussion with Colleagues is important Intergroup dialogue creates valuable learning

opportunities through discussion led by trained facilitators. Through large and small group discussion participants are able to explore their own beliefs about gender, race, ethnicity, diversity and more. Often the views and opinions expressed are profound as participants explore biases and prejudices they were not aware they had. Ultimately participants realize they are not alone in their beliefs and benefit from sharing with others as they develop their own positive take-aways from the dialogue.

9Know your “hot topics” and your “Blind Spots”

What topics are your “hot topic” issues?Explore WHY are these your “hot topic” issues.Understand how to have a discussion with your office

prior to an incident forcing the conversation.

What areas are your blind spots?Know the areas why your have no/limited cultural

awareness.Ask colleagues about resources that could strengthen

your areas of weakness.

10Use each opportunity as a

learning moment

Multicultural Fly-In ProgramFrom: colleague not on Multicultural Admission TeamSent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 10:59 AMTo: Director of Multicultural Admission Team; Colleague in Financial Aid OfficeCc: Subject: RE: Student's Information I thought that a student from this background:   Impoverished familyFirst generationUpward Bound participantCould never afford to fly to here to consider our college Would be part of our fly-in.   

11Wording and Understanding

are Important

“Preference is given to Hispanic and Latino students, as well as students from other cultures,”

vs

“Davidson welcomes applications from students from all backgrounds, particularly Hispanic and Latino students”

vs

“Preference is given to multicultural students, particularly Hispanic and Latino students.”

12

True Visit Programs

Bait and Switch type programs?Are specific programs planned only for SOCs that are

not typical of what would be their college experience? Funded Greek Cookouts Host matching based off of race

13

Multicultural Visit ProgramsFrom: Prospective Student that self-reported as Hispanic and American IndianSent: Saturday, January 08, 2011 6:05 PMTo: Office of Admission Director of Multicultural AdmissionSubject: RE: Visit Program (Action Required by 1/10/11)

 Hello Director of Multicultural Admission! I'm very excited to be offered such an exciting opportunity. … I understand that this opportunity is offered through the Multicultural Admission part of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.  I'm not exactly sure whether I'm what your branch has in mind when looking for multicultural students. I feel compelled to tell you a little of my family history, ….  My grandma was a mix of Apache and Mexican, although muddled census records have made it difficult to identify exactly how much of each she was.  She raised her 11 siblings in an abandoned train car, and dropped out of school in 5th grade.  She married my white grandpa.  My mom …  separated herself by pursuing a college education, and marrying my white dad.  We've lived a white cultural life, and we live a decent drive away from my Mom's birthplace, where her family still resides.  I considered myself culturally white for all these years, but my mom insisted that where possible, I indicate my heritage.  …  If you think I should still visit, you will receive a blonde, curly-haired white girl with vaguely Native American cheekbones. I decided, in the end, that it would be best to indicate my heritage, and offer an explanation if needed.

14

Reply to Student

From: Office of Admission Director of Multicultural AdmissionTo: Prospective Student that self-reported as Hispanic and American Indian Subject: RE: Visit Program (Action Required by 1/10/11)Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2011 23:29:21 +0000

Good day

It is completely up to you if you feel comfortable attending the program.  Most of the programming will be led by members of the Black Student Coalition, the Asian Cultural Awareness Association and the Organization of Latin American Students.  Please know that not all members of these organizations are students of color.  All of the prospective applicants that will be attending have self-identified as a student of color so I cannot tell you if there will be any other student that closer identifies culturally as White.  We would love for you to explore Davidson but do not want you to feel out of place.  We welcome you coming, but understand your reluctance and the choice is yours.  Please let me know what you decide and we will go from there.

15

Reply from Student

From: Prospective Student that self-reported as Hispanic and American IndianSent: Sunday, January 09, 2011 10:07 PMTo: Office of Admission Director of Multicultural AdmissionSubject: RE: Visit Program (Action Required by 1/10/11)

Dear Director of Multicultural Admission, Thank you so much for clarifying the agenda for the program.  I really appreciate that Davidson goes out of its way to make sure that people feel culturally accepted.  That being said, I think that I would be most comfortable not attending this program.  I still look forward to receiving a response to my application, and am as enthusiastic as ever about Davidson's excellent academics.  Considering the importance of the Honor Code to the college, I felt like I had to be forthright about my cultural background.

16

Culture Box

Contains at least three physical objects that represent important parts of your life story, especially as it is related to your social identities.

 "Social identities" include, for example, race, gender, ethnicity, age, ability status, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, job status, nationality, etc. You may focus on whatever social identities you feel are most important to your personal story. But at least one of your objects should reflect your experiences with your racial identity. The goal of the box is to help others gain a DEEP understanding of some of the experiences that have made you who you are, including joyous and/or difficult struggles that you have related to your identities. Please let the "culture box" become a way for your friends and colleagues to get to know you even more fully and richly. Be creative, take prudent risks to tell your story deeply (but please don't feel any pressure to reveal anything you don't wish), and have fun!.

17Professional Development

Experiences

What You Can Do in Your Office

-Create a list of all existing multicultural student organizations (including NPHC organizations if your institutions have them) and meet with your staff to discuss the organizations and disspell any myths they might have.

-Use or create your own “Current Discussion Of Affirmative Action in College Admissions” (Feel free to grab handout)

-Participate in an interactive exercise such as Cross the Line

18Professional Development

ExperiencesHow To Receive Professional Development Outside of Your Office

Conferences

-Guiding the Way to Inclusion (GWI) Conference- July 28th-30th in Boston, MA (www.nacacnet.org/events/GWI)

-TN College Access and Success Network (TCASN) Conference- November 2013 (www.tncollegeaccess.org)

-National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference (pocc.nais.org)

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Resources and References

AMCD Multicultural Counseling Competencies:

http://www.counseling.org/resources/competencies/multcultural_competencies.pdf

NACAC Knowledge Center:

www.nacacnet.org/research/KnowledgeCenter