Product of Adversity, From the Hood to a University: Recontextualizing Resilient Mindsets Among Men of Color in Community College

Abstract

Drawing from the theoretical foundations of the Bowman Role Strain and Adaptation Model (BRSAM) and informed by Bowman’s Multilevel Strengths-Based Assessment System (MSAS), this chapter identifies factors predictive of student persistence and vertical transfer momentum among first-generation and low-income men of color in community college. As part of a larger study, 10 students attending a community college on the West Coast shared their testimonies illuminating various aspects of their life and educational experience. Findings show that students’ role strain and multilevel structural barriers negatively impacted their community college journeys. Despite these circumstances, students used their resilient mindsets, such as path-goal motivation, self-regulation, and generative engagement, to adapt and persist in their vertical transfer journeys. This chapter underscores the importance of understanding the connection between the BRSAM and MSAS to inform the development of targeted interventions that can strengthen the community college vertical transfer pathways for first-generation and low-income men of color.