Research has shown that a gap persists between social classes, even after attending college – with those from wealthier backgrounds earning higher paying positions upon graduation. Some researchers suggest that these gaps may come from the differences in connections – those from wealthier backgrounds may have previously established relationships to rely on to attain better employment. And during my time in graduate school, I’ve come to realize that, while opportunities to build those networks exist, many of my wealthier peers have been able to establish much broader networks than those who did not come from such privileged backgrounds.
Tyler Hallmark
When we consider that, within the field of education, conference registration for students usually varies between $60 and $250 – a cost that is much higher in other fields such as STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) – and hotel, transportation and other expenses may add up to the hundreds or thousands, these prices are often too much for less-privileged students to afford, so they end up not attending at all. On the other side of the coin, their more-privileged peers can attend, continue building valuable connections and even interview for jobs on site.
Although many conferences now offer funding opportunities for which graduate students may apply, these opportunities are generally not designated for only low-SES or first-generation students – instead often having tedious applications and requirements of (or “strong preferences for”) presenting. As we see an increase in one-year master’s programs, it may not be reasonable to expect a first-year master’s student, especially one who may be working their way through graduate school, to submit a manuscript to present at a conference. But this doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be able to attend that conference.
For those institutions that do provide easier access to conference funding, many still rely on the reimbursement model – that students must first attend the conference and then bring back proof of attendance. This model assumes that students have the money to pay upfront and then rely on getting their money back afterwards – or at least have an available credit line on which they may rely. Some institutions do not even let students know if they are approved for the funding until a week before the conference, making last-minute flight purchases much more expensive than if a student were able to buy their ticket in advance. Other institutions do not let students know if they are approved for the funding until a week after the conference is over – deterring students from investing money that they’re not yet guaranteed to get back.
Ultimately, there are 3 key questions that institutions and organizations should be asking themselves, in considering how they may be more inclusive of low-SES and first-generation members:
