Promoting Purpose Among Underrepresented Undergraduate Students

Universities often champion an agenda focused on helping students find their direction and purpose in life. Although these efforts are supported by research consistently showing the benefits of purpose, several students may feel implicitly or explicitly left out of these university efforts, because they are in minority with respect to one or more personal identifications. This viewpoint discusses the potential obstacles and opportunities for underrepresented students in their pursuit of a purpose, and how university administrators can assist these students with purpose development. Recommendations focus on how to provide underrepresented students with purposeful role models, a greater sense of belongingness, and exercises to help them reflect upon their past to find their direction for the future.