AbstractsSociology

Hispanic, Black, and other ethnic minorities (EMs) graduate with the fewest degrees in the umbrella of liberal arts compared to White students (Siebens & Ryan, 2012). My research conjoined an exploration of student perceptions on college writing, liberal arts, college choice, and diversity with marketing rhetoric of three liberal arts majors in highlighting existing alignments and divergences between EM representation and accessibility within the related majors. The results expressed significant differences in student values of the aforementioned factors based on student ethnicity and nativity with EMs valuing writing degrees and diversity more than White students whom hold more positive perspectives of access to and visual representation in the related majors than EMs. Marketing rhetoric from the different majors was saturated with images of White bodies and value statements of degree professional and academic worth which align with White perspectives and provide an explanation the EM sentiment. I concluded this work meditating on several areas of interest for further research including further exploration of student understanding of liberal arts and college writing requirements and college visual diversity marketing as it pertains to Black bodies.ReferencesSiebens, J., & Ryan, C. L. (2012, February). Field of bachelor’s degree in the United States: 2009. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acs-18.pdf Advisors/Committee Members: Tulley, Ronald (Advisor).