Assessment of Impact of Civil Rights Pilgrimage on Student Participants

Abstract

In an effort to address the concern that students are not able to experience diversity directly at UW-Eau Claire, the University established a ten-day Civil Rights Pilgrimage in 2008. Students participating in the pilgrimage travel by bus to visit major sites of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s through the 1970s. A new component to this year's research was the addition of a qualitative analysis. The purpose of this study was to expose students to new cultures and ideas, furthering their understanding of racism, sexism, White privilege, and multicultural competence.