Increasing Minority Student Enrollment in Counselor Education

Culturally Relevant Advising: Applying Relational‐Cultural Theory in Counselor Education

“…Emerging across several qualitative and descriptive investigations is the vital role a close, supportive relationship with a faculty member plays in the experience of students from underrepresented backgrounds within counselor education doctoral programs (Haizlip, ; Henfield, Owens, & Witherspoon, ; J. K. Miller & Stone, ; Protivnak & Foss, ; Robinson, Lewis, Henderson, & Flowers, ). For example, in a large qualitative study with 141 ethnically diverse counselor education doctoral students, Protivnak and Foss () reported that students experience support and guidance when relationships between faculty members and students are valued and prioritized.…”

“…Currently, there is a high likelihood that a student from an underrepresented background receives advising from a faculty member from a majority background (J. K. Miller & Stone, ). Students from underrepresented populations may have unique advising needs separate from those of dominant‐culture peers (Butler, Evans, Brooks, Williams, & Bailey, ; Henfield et al, ; Warnke et al, ), such as difficulty developing relationships with faculty and cohort members (Henfield et al, ; Robinson et al, ), experiencing a lack of consideration of diverse perspectives within the program (Henfield et al, ; Protivnak & Foss, ), faculty evaluating from a deficit rather than strengths perspective (Robinson et al, ), and pressure to conform to the departmental culture and values (Casto, Caldwell, & Salazar, ; Protivnak & Foss, ). The lack of representation in higher education among women and people of color in positions of power (Bradley & Holcomb‐McCoy, ) may further contribute to feelings of isolation among underrepresented students.…”