October 29, 2021

Journal Publishes New Research About Anti-Racist College Counseling and Advising

The Journal of College Access (JCA) at Western Michigan University just published a special edition entitled, “Access and Blackness: Antiracist College Counseling and Advising,” which fills a gap in the scholarship on African-Americans and college access.  It is available online at https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol6/iss3/. It is the third special issue published by JCA and the third issue of 2021.

This special edition focuses on research studies that explore the role that counselors play in K-12 schooling and on college campuses, to challenge racist systems and structures and to support Black youth. It features the work of 16 researchers, scholars, and practitioners from 10 different universities and organizations. This issue was edited by guest editors Ian Levy of Manhattan College (NY) and Caroline Lopez-Perry of California State University, Long Beach.

“This special issue is important because it sheds light on racial inequities and how anti-racist school counseling plays a pivotal role in breaking down and removing barriers to college access” said Christopher W. Tremblay, co-editor and co-founder for the Journal. “Levy and Lopez-Perry are bringing to us critical research to empower our school and college counselors to be advocates and change agents.  We need to take note of what this new and original research tells us and how it informs our policies and practices going forward,” said Tremblay.

At 140 pages, this issue includes six research articles:

  • Advising Black Students and Anti-Oppressive Frameworks: A Systematic Review of College Access and College Counseling Literature
  • Moving from Racist to Antiracist Practices: Using Lewin’s Field Theory to Examine Career Help-Seeking Behaviors and Intentions of Black First-Generation Students Attending Predominantly White Institutions
  • Black Women’s Perceptions of K-12 Experiences that Influenced their Preparation for College
  • Promoting Equitable College Access and Success: Exploring Critical Frameworks in School Counselor Training
  • Expanding the Life-Span, Life-Space Approach using Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality
  • Black Male Collegiate Athletes’ Perceptions of Their Career and Academic Preparation: A Mixed Methods Study

 

About the Invited Guest Editors

Ian Levy
Manhattan College (NY) 
Dr. Ian Levy is an Assistant Professor and Director of the School Counseling Program at Manhattan College, New York City native, former High School counselor. His research explores preparing school counselors to use hip-hop based interventions to support youth development. Most notably, Dr. Levy piloted the development, implementation, and evaluation of a Hip-Hop based counseling framework, which has been featured in the New York Times, CNN, and published in a variety of reputable academic journals. More recently, Dr. Levy has begun exploring the training of school counselors who are versed in hip-hop based approaches - as both a medium to develop anti-racist and cultural competencies. Ian is also the author of the research monograph, Hip-Hop and Spoken Word Therapy in School Counseling: Developing Culturally Responsive Approaches, published with Routledge.

Caroline Lopez-Perry
California State University, Long Beach
Dr. Caroline Lopez-Perry is an Associate Professor and the program coordinator for the school counseling program at California State University Long Beach. She has worked as a school counselor in both the K-8 and middle school setting.  Dr. Lopez-Perry  is an author, trainer, and consultant at both the state and national level.  She consults with school districts across the state in helping them develop comprehensive school counseling programs.  She is currently serving her third term on the board of directors for the California Association of School Counselors (CASC). She was a key contributor to the recently updated California training standards for school counselors. She can also be credited with co-authoring the Best Practice Guidelines for California School Counselors. Caroline is the recipient of the 2021 CASC Counselor Educator of the Year award. Her scholarly interests include school counselor leadership, group counseling, school counselor curriculum, and college and career readiness.

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About JCA

The Journal of College Access (JCA) focuses on the current trends, research, practices, and development of all types of programs, policies, and activities related to the access of and success in postsecondary education. Issues of college aspiration, qualification, application, enrollment, and persistence are the primary emphases.  

It was launched at Western Michigan University in March 2014.  Its first issue came out in January 2015.  Since then, nearly 19,000 downloads of articles have been made in 148 countries.  JCA was founded by Christopher W. Tremblay, Ed.D. and Patrick O’Connor, Ph.D. to fill a gap in the literature in the field of college access. Current editors-in-chief include Tremblay, O’Connor, and Laura Owen of the Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment at San Diego State University (SDSU). Articles among nine JCA issues have been cited 199 times.

JCA is affiliated with the Michigan College Access Network, Western Michigan University (WMU), the Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success at American University, and the Center for Equity and Postsecondary Attainment at San Diego State University (SDSU).

Authors Available for Interviews
Authors of this research are available for interviews. To arrange an interview, contact Ian Levy at [email protected].