Student Perceptions of Multicultural Awareness Development Through Participation in a Multicultural Living-Learning Community

The purpose of this study was to better understand how students perceive participation in a multicultural living-learning community to be an influence on their development of multicultural awareness. This question was explored by examining the following research questions, why do students select to live on the Multicultural Hall, what experiences do students identify as valuable to the development of their multicultural awareness, how does participating in the Multicultural Hall foster relationships among students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and how do students describe the influence of these relationships on the development of their multicultural awareness. Fourteen students who lived on the Multicultural Hall in 2012-2013 were interviewed using an in-depth, semi-structured interview model. Interviews transcripts were examined using a Consensual Qualitative Research approach. Archival documents prepared by the Multicultural Hall Resident Assistants were also reviewed. Intergroup contact theory was used to evaluate and analyze participant responses and information contained in the archival documents. Results of the study revealed that students who actively participated believed that participating in the Multicultural Hall contributed to their development of multicultural awareness. Student participants identified that living in a community of diverse others that was inclusive, and supportive of cross-cultural learning and understanding were important factors in their multicultural awareness development. Additionally, the value of developing friendships with diverse others was noted by students as important in developing multicultural awareness.