Mastering the Hidden Curriculum (1/2)

College is a time full of adjustments: adjustments to a new community, peers, courses, living environments…the list goes on and on. And, for each tangible change to a student’s life when they first get to college, there is a myriad of unseen cultural assumptions and implicit norms that first-year students must navigate as well. Particularly at elite institutions like Georgetown, students are expected to be well-versed in establishing a professional network, honing their study skills, sustaining financial wellbeing– all on top of succeeding in their classes and extracurricular activities. While some students – particularly those from college prep schools, or continuing-generation college students – may have practice with meeting these demands, a college’s “hidden curriculum” can be difficult to uncover and traverse without support. 

Significant literature has been published on the academic, cultural, and financial barriers to transitioning and succeeding in college that first-generation and underrepresented minority students tend to face. Such barriers include limited academic preparation, limited knowledge about the college experience, few college faculty that understand their cultural backgrounds, complicated financial aid processes, and a less than welcome climate on campus.¹ Additionally, when enrolled in college, these students are more likely to receive lower grades, have fewer close relationships with peers and faculty, experience feelings of isolation, and struggle to take advantage of academic resources and career-readiness opportunities.² While expanding college access to these populations of students is critical, increasing diversity alone doesn’t guarantee an equitable experience. 

A considerable amount of literature exists linking a sense of belonging, defined as experiencing a sense of membership to the university, to success and persistence. Vincent Tinto (1987,1993) theorized that students’ integration into their social and academic college environment predicts whether they are likely to remain enrolled in college. Similarly, Berger and Milem (1999, 1997) found that first-year students who reported more involvement behaviors also reported an increased likelihood of persistence. Many scholars have argued that in addition to being critical to student retention, belonging to a community that is valued, supportive, and affirming is a fundamental need for students (Johnson et. al, 2007). 

Identifying such barriers to success and cultivating a sense of belonging are essential for Georgetown to realize its full position as a leader in the space of equity in the academic experience.

Mastering the Hidden Curriculum

Enter Georgetown’s new Mastering the Hidden Curriculum seminar for first-generation students, which ran for the first time in Fall 2018 and is being offered again this semester. A collaboration between the Georgetown Scholarship Program and the Red House, Mastering the Hidden Curriculum attends to the skills and cultural capital acquisition crucial to thriving at Georgetown and contributes to Georgetown’s longstanding mission of supporting and sustaining Hoyas from all backgrounds. The course is open to self-identified first-generation and/or low-income Georgetown freshmen, and was co-taught in the Fall by Dr. Marcia Chatelain (History and African American Studies) with Dr. Soyica Colbert (Theater and Performing Arts and African American Studies), and Dr. Sabrina Wesley-Nero (Education, Inquiry, & Justice and Educational Transformation) with Dr. Ricardo Ortiz (English). 

Mastering the Hidden Curriculum introduces and equips first-year students with the skills and cultural capital needed to navigate Georgetown’s academic community and collegiate environment. The course deepens students’ writing, analytical, and public speaking skills by combining a multidisciplinary approach with a subject matter emphasis on exploring the first-generation college student identity. By the end of the course, students gain knowledge of available GU support systems, tools for academic empowerment, and a greater understanding and awareness of their identity. 

An example of bridging theory and practice, Mastering the Hidden Curriculum unites the contemporary conversation and research around first-generation student populations with our students’ lived experiences, giving individuals the tools and knowledge to thrive in their time in college. The Mastering the Hidden Curriculum course presents an academic opportunity to add to the cadre of support mechanisms for our students that already exist across campus, and strengthens this holistic support at the moment our first year students enter the Hilltop’s gates. 

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^{1. Gandara, (2006); Longerbeam, Sedlacek, & Alatorre, (2004); Nevarez & Rico, (2007); Santiago, (2007) ↩}

^{2. Ostrove & Long, (2007); Pascarella et al., (2004); Reay, Crozier, & Clayton, (2009), Terenzini et al., (1996) ↩}

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Author:

Mark Joy: Senior Research & Programs Associate for The Hub for Equity and Innovation in Higher Education