Want a quick summary of the findings beyond this thread? Check out my blog post here: medium.com/@brittanynde...

8/8

The value of higher education continues to be questioned within an uncertain economy. Establishing programs that shepherd all students through career-relevant capital-building activities could pay dividends for both institutions and graduates.

7/8

Why does this matter?
It is critical for colleges and universities to consider how they can facilitate career-relevant social and cultural capital building for students not coming from advantaged backgrounds.

6/8

I identify two important structural factors that shape building career-relevant social and cultural capital: institutional gatekeepers and opt-in involvement.

5/8

Why? These campus experiences are important because they build what sociologists call social and cultural capital.

If these experiences are so important, why don’t colleges simply encourage all students to participate in activities that help them build social and cultural capital?

4/8

I talked with 60 UMD graduates about their experiences in college and what happened after graduating as they tried to translate their degrees into jobs. Students who engage on campus and work in professional settings are often able to translate those experiences into “good” jobs after graduating
3/8

When I worked in student affairs, I was often perplexed watching students who did all the “right” things during their college experience—internships, extracurriculars, study abroad—flounder trying to find jobs after graduation.

2/8