Cunningham (2003) in his article Multicultural Awareness writes:
There are two guiding principles that we must keep in mind: (1) cultural identity is made up of a myriad of aspects, and (2) while we can learn something from generalizations about cultures, we must not allow these generalizations to cause us to stereotype or over-simply our ideas about others. It is crucial that we preface any discussion of diversity issues with firm declarations that ALL people have cultural identity and that we value ALL forms of diversity, whether they be majority or minority.
A. Characteristics
- May have few positive expectations.
- Academic performance related to satisfaction with college.
- Few role models on campus can cause concerns.
- Limited community and campus resources.
B. Advising techniques
- Enhance the college student fit.
- Encourage campus involvement.
- Suggest campus resources when needed.
- Encourage positive self-concept.
- Avoid stereotypical attitudes and expectations.
- Suggest academic experiences that can prove successful.
- Acknowledge importance of role models.
(Kerr, 1996, p. 187)