This document summarizes interviews conducted with mixed heritage college students about their racial identities. It discusses the interview questions, profiles three students with different mixed racial backgrounds, and analyzes themes that emerged from their responses. Some prominent themes included racial identity being a choice that depends on environment; students adopting situational identities that change based on their surroundings; and factors like physical appearance, social expectations, generation, and family influencing how they see themselves. The document examines implications for understanding how students make sense of their identities and for creating supportive environments on campus.

1. Mixed Heritage Population
Student Population Interview Analysis
Suzanna S Farner
Western Illinois University
College Student Personnel

2. The Process
• Finding Students
• Research Before the
Interview
Limitations
Time
Using the parts to see the whole

3. Interview Questions
1) How would you describe your identity from your experiences?
2) What connections or cues do you see in society or media about your
identity?
3) How would describe the climate’s or environment’s influence on how
you interact with your multiple identities growing up? Here at Western
Illinois?
4) What is your perspective on the idea of “passing” for a certain
social/identity group?
5) What are two influence experiences you have had in regards to this
identity? (This can be either positive or negative)
6) If there was one thing you could change in your immediate environment
that would increase support for your identity, what would it be and why?
7) Do you have any additional thoughts about your identity or anything that
may affect it?
8) How would you describe how others see you?
9) Is racial identity a choice? If not, can it be?

4. My Student’s Stories
A Brief Overview
Student 1
• Mixed/ American
Female
• Black and White
Heritage
• Grew up in a
predominantly White
family environment
and school system
• “putting me in a box
I don’t want to be in”
on college apps
• “Mixed and okay”
Student 2
• Black Male
• Black and Asian
Heritage
• Grew up in a
predominantly Black
environment
• “One of them”
• “They have the
mentality that I am
just like every black
person”
• “We are all just
people”
Student 3
• American
• South Korean and
Black Heritage
• Grew up in a
predominantly White
family an social
environment
• “I guess I didn’t really
have a group” on
transitioning to
college
• “There's a need for me
to live up to YOUR
standards” on passing

5. Racial
Identity
Choice
Diagram: Intersectional Model of
Mixed-Race Identity proposed by
Jones and McEwan and adapted by
Wijeyesinghe (2012).

6. Is Racial Identity a Choice?
Theme: Race can be a choice under the right
circumstances
• How might this connect to privilege?
• Can choice look different for different identity
populations? (example: LGBTQ)
Connection to Interviews

7. Racial Identity Choices
Patterns of Mixed-Race Identity for College Students
(Renn & Reason, 2013, .159)
• Monoracial
• Multiple Monoracial Identity
• Extra-Racial Identity
• Situational Identity
• American?

8. Situational Identity
Theme: Constant Motion
• How does your identity change according to
your environment?
Connection to Interviews

9. Exploring Salient Influencing
Factors
(Wijeyesinghe , 2012)
• Physical Appearance
• Social Construct/Expectations
• Other Social Identities
• Generation
• Socialization
• Family Background
• Cultural Attachment
Who/what determines these?

10. Physical Appearance
Theme: Physical appearance based on a
whiteness scale
• How does this connect with “passing” or racial
identity choice?
• Mixed Heritage Heirarchy
Connection to Interviews

11. Social Construct/ Expectations
How are students making meaning of their
identity?
(Example : Student 2)
• “appropriate” behavior
• What expectations are we putting on our
students?

12. The Relationship Between Influences
Theme (s): “monoracial” identification resulting
from uneven relationship between competing
racial identities ; Segregation/Supression of
racial identity; Congruence
• Mutual influence?
• Competing influences: Can one influence
negate/ suppress another to effect a student’s
racial identity choice
Connection to interviews

13. Implication for Practice
How do we
encourage boundary
crossing and
integration?

14. Questions?
Thank you!

15. References
Kegan, R. (1994). In over our heads: The mental demands
of modern life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press.
Renn, K. A., & Reason, R. D. (2012). College students in
the United States: Characteristics, experiences,
outcomes. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Wijeyesinghe, C.L., & Jackson, III, B.W. (2012). New
perspective on racial identity development: Integrating
emerging frame works. New York: NYU Press