How Marginalized Students Persist in TPC Academic Programs

Abstract

Retaining students to graduation is a persistent problem in higher education. This problem is especially prevalent for students from traditionally underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds. Non-white students face unique challenges when pursuing a college degree which lead to lower degree completion rates. Recent research from technical and professional communication (TPC) scholars has discussed the need to diversify TPC academic programs. However, few studies have examined TPC student retention, and the responsibility TPC program administrators have in helping the students they recruit persist to graduation. This article reports the results of interviews conducted with TPC undergraduate students, graduate students, and pre-tenure faculty members, who identified as a person of color, regarding how they persisted in their degree programs. Results show that important factors for persistence included faculty support, financial support, family support, peer support, and self-motivation.