Dr. Maria Pena’s research is an apt fit for Marquette’s College of Nursing, which — along with the university — places a high priority on student success and belonging.
Pena, one of the newest Ph.D. recipients in the college, recently defended her dissertation, “Student Voice: Perceptions of Sense of Belonging and Involvement among Minoritized Prelicensure Nursing Students.” She teaches in the Direct Entry Master of Nursing program at the Pleasant Prairie location.
Here in a Q&A, Pena talks about her research and how she applies her findings in the classroom.
Describe what your dissertation was about.
I focused on students who have cultural or ethnic underrepresentation in their colleges. Even though more of those students are enrolling in schools, data show they are still consistently questioning their place in the college environment.
While higher ed institutions are trying to make their student bodies more diverse, I was very curious to know how those students actually feel when they’re enrolled in nursing programs. I conducted a national study that involved more than 30 schools; we did surveys and then follow-up interviews to collect data.
What were some of the biggest takeaways when you analyzed the data?
First, I think it’s important to note that this data is solely from the student perspective. I’m not talking to administrators or seeing what the faculty are doing.
With that said, the students told us loud and clear that intentionality matters. The faculty who were actually going above and beyond stood out. Just saying, “Hey, I’m here if you need me,” wasn’t enough; proactivity in contacting students and providing them with opportunities was really the biggest difference-maker. Showing students that they have a voice within their institution is vitally important.
How have you applied those lessons in the classroom?
I instituted a policy of midterm check-ins where I reach out to every student at midterms personally to see how they’re doing. Students said they felt appreciated and that nobody had ever thought to do that in their undergraduate classes. It’s good to see that outreach is having an impact.
Hybrid and remote learning more popular than ever. How does that factor into the ways faculty build that sense of belonging?
We don’t get to see online students in-person on a consistent basis, so faculty need to be intentional about building community. I need to be sending emails not just talking about “oh, this assignment is due at this time,” but also asking about how things are going. Checking in with students on a personal level to see if they need assistance is so important, especially when there are big things happening in their lives.
The feedback I get from students when I do that is positive. So many students tell me that nobody has really done that before in their undergrad programs and they felt appreciated.
What are some things about the experience of being an underrepresented student that you wish everyone working in academia would understand?
You’re not always going to be able to readily see the challenges of people from other cultures or what they’re thinking about. The spaces that these students are inhabiting may not have originally been built with them in mind, and policies that were in place a long time ago may still be systemically embedded in ways that are not obvious.
Schools are trying to address those problems and make changes. Building trust and community, showing students that they do belong in these spaces, is so important.
What about your role do you find purposeful?
Trying to help people feel like they belong is incredibly meaningful for me because that act doesn’t just stay in a bubble with them. Hopefully, they carry it on to others.
