| dc.description.abstract | The issues that disproportionately affect Black students at Vanderbilt University are broad, and they are many. Social media discussions, Campus Climate Surveys, and student-organized petitions have all called on University administration to do more to protect vulnerable student populations. This study was prompted by the harsh criticism that Vanderbilt University faced from students and alumni during the summer of 2020, which specifically highlighted the University’s shortcomings in regards to support for racial and sexual minorities. The research focuses on the institutional, classroom, and interpersonal experiences of Black Vanderbilt students, with a distinct interest in Black students who also identify as LGBTQ+. Using the intersectionality framework to analyze the anecdotal experiences of two Black, bisexual, female Vanderbilt students along with the responses from 21 Black survey respondents, seven of which identified as LGBTQ+, I present recommendations for university procedural and policy changes. More research is needed to understand how to best implement these procedures and to continue to document the experiences of Black college students and increase data related to Black LGBTQ+ college students. | en_US |
