Becoming Upward Bound : ritual, self-esteem, and the production of belonging

This thesis is an ethnography of an Upward Bound program serving a rural area of California. Between 2009 and 2010 I was a participant observer with Upward Bound, an educational equity program funded by the department of education that serves low income, potential first-generation college students. Through my role as a program employee and friend, I conducted 9 in-depth interviews with students, alumni and program staff and 5 follow-up interviews via email. While my connection with UB dates back to 1999 and informs much of my work, between 2009 and 2010 I spent more than one thousand hours of research conscious time with UB staff and students. During this period I took limited field notes as well as engaged in many intentional conversations with staff and students, as I explored ideas and questions that were developing through my ongoing writing and analysis. In this thesis I focus on theorizing processes of identity transformation experienced by students in the program through examination of program ritual and culture. I found that the particular structures of Upward Bound led to transformations that increased student sense of self-esteem, and linkages of self to social structure. Both these factors have been linked in other research to higher likelihoods for college success, which is the central long-term goal of Upward Bound. To this extent, my work is significant in providing qualitative understanding of how Upward Bound has been successful in reaching this goal.