Examining the experiences for diverse women in settings of higher education : an intersectional analysis

Sociologists have examined the barriers that students of color, in general, experience in higher education, as well as how campus climate can be improved to be more inclusive for the increasingly diversified student population. However, few researchers have examined college students' experiences across race, gender, and class, particularly the intersectional effects on women in various college settings (McCabe 2009). Therefore, this study examines the intersectional experiences of women from different racial and ethnic groups at California State University, Sacramento. With the use of three focus groups, this study will explore Black, White and Chicana women's experiences in different settings of higher education. This study will employ the theory of intersectionality to guide the analysis and to explore the differences by race, gender and class