WVXU: Women veterans of color feel out of step in higher ed
A small study by new UC faculty member points out gaps in finding a sense of place
Students who are women veterans of color find support systems off campus for a lack of belonging they feel on campus, says a study by UC’s Rachael Saunders.
This finding, among others, appears in a study which Saunders led while a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina. Saunders is currently an assistant professor of counseling in UC’s School of Human Services, in the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services and was interviewed by WVXU to discuss the study.
The study is called “Bended womanhood bended back: The intersection of race, gender, and culture in women of color veterans and their transition into higher education” and appears in the American Psychological Association’s Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.
"I think that's important to highlight that even though they (study participants) didn't have a sense of belonging, that they really struggled to feel that they were accepted in these places, they showed critical insight and resilience that evolved because those intersecting identities," Saunders told WVXU.
Featured image at top courtesy of Unsplash/Bendjy.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Rain, steep slopes put NY community at risk of landslides, geologist warns
April 23, 2026
UC Associate Professor Dan Sturmer tells News10 that heavy rain combined with steep slopes is a recipe for landslides in one New York community.
ASL Storytelling Performance draws strong crowd at UC Clermont
April 23, 2026
The ASL Storytelling Performance drew 214 attendees to the college’s Batavia, Ohio campus on Saturday, March 28, marking the largest audience in the event’s history and highlighting its continued growth since the first performance in 2018.
UC students engineer cold-weather lifeline for Paralympians
April 23, 2026
Three University of Cincinnati students designed and built a residual limb warmer to protect Paralympic athletes competing in bobsled and skeleton from freezing temperatures between races.