Postdoctoral Research Associate, Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California
About
Genia M. Bettencourt is a postdoctoral research associate with the Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California. She holds a PhD in higher education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on the experiences of marginalized students as related to access, equity, and activism, with a particular emphasis on issues related to social class.
Current Work:
Dr. Bettencourt's primary research examines how students from marginalized social class backgrounds (e.g., working-class, first-generation, low-income) access and experience higher education. In her dissertation, Dr. Bettencourt examined how working-class students experienced social class at public research institutions as related to their social class identity, sense of belonging, and perceptions of class-based allyship. She currently serves as a team member for the Promoting At-Promise Student Success study based at the University of Southern California to examine student experiences for predominantly low-income, first-generation, and students of color.
Research Area Keyword(s):
Higher education; equity; college access; social class; student success
