Sydney Roberts SURF SMART
UC Berkeley and the Realization of Black (Educational) Desires
This summer, my mentor, Caleb Dawson, and I will explore what Black students and staff members at UC Berkeley hope to gain from their pursuit of higher education or career in higher education. Over the course of eight weeks, I’ll be interviewing various students and faculty members to develop an understanding of what a quality education means to them. We’ll be exploring why Black students come to Cal and assume the responsibility of improving the student experience for other Black students. Additionally, well inquire if they would recommend Cal to younger Black scholars. I’ll be using a qualitative data analysis software, and an ethnographic perspective, to comparatively study the responses of interview participants. In all, this is a qualitative research project aimed at discovering the desires of Black people at UC Berkeley. I hope to take what I learn from this fellowship and apply it to my work in the Associated Students of the University of California next year.
Message To Sponsor
I'd like to thank the donor for supporting this research project! It is not often Black researchers see financial support, let alone for projects focused on increasing Black joy or success. The work Caleb and I do this summer, and the positive impacts that stem from this study, will be a tribute to your generosity. Thank you for your support!