Enhancing Education and Career Pathways Through Peer and Near-Peer Social Capital

Social capital strengthens emerging adults’ ability to reach life goals, but little is known about how peers and near-peers (slightly older and/or more experienced peers who serve in mentorship or coaching roles) support social capital development especially among young people of color. To address this gap, the current study examined how social capital derived from peers and near-peers contributes to emerging adults’ ability to actively mobilize social capital in pursuit of their education or career goals (i.e., self-initiated social capital) and, in turn, their education and career outcomes. A total of 841 emerging adults who participated in one of five community-based education and/or workforce support programs were surveyed (72% female; Mage = 20.1, SD = 1.84; 35% Latinx, 30% Black, 19% Asian, 16% Other). Peer social capital was indirectly associated with outcomes (i.e., progress towards education/career goals, commitment to paying-it-forward, collective efficacy to change systems) via greater self-initiated social capital, whereas near-peer social capital was both directly and indirectly associated with outcomes. The mechanisms by which peer and near-peer social capital support emerging adults as they work towards their goals may differ and have important program implications.

Generating social capital in first-generation students through a first-year seminar at a midwest university

Graduating college is an important milestone, but, for first-generation students (FGS), this can be more of a challenge than continuing-generation students. First-year seminars (FYS) aim to integrate students academically and socially to university life. The literature has not measured how social capital may differ based on parental education or in different types of FYS. No evidence was found for considering FGS-none (students where neither parent has had any education beyond high school) and FGS-some (students where at least one parent has had some education beyond high school, but did not complete a four-year degree) distinct populations. Social capital at the end of the semester for FGS-none was significantly smaller than continuing-generation students. There were significant increases in total social capital for FGS-none and continuing-generation students but not FGS-some. Factor analysis revealed five dimensions of social capital in the survey instrument: advisor, faculty, institutional, family, and peer. All FGS groups increased advisor social capital; FGS-some and continuing-generation students increased faculty social capital; FGS-some increased peer social capital; and continuing-generation students increased institutional social capital.