Barry University assistant professor of education Heidi Whitford, PhD, was recently awarded a grant from the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). Whitford received the grant for a research project titled “Undocumented Students’ Experiences of Higher Education Access: Opportunities & Challenges.”
Whitford’s submission beat out 17 other entrants whose proposals represented a wide variety of topics and methods. Her research will look to understand how undocumented students view their experiences navigating the higher education landscape. The sum of these experiences will be used to contribute to a theoretical framework of higher education access and opportunity underpinned by principles of social justice and diversity. The ACPA award will fund the full amount of Whitford’s research, $2500.
Whitford earned the award because her study was deemed timely and relevant, and her proposal was well developed and one which will offer new insight into an important area of student affairs.
Tracing its roots to 1924, the ACPA supports and fosters college student learning through the generation and dissemination of knowledge, which informs policies, practices and programs for student affairs professionals and the higher education community.