Unlock Your Potential: How Mentoring Bridges the Social Capital Gap in Community Colleges

Samir D’Costa in Mind & Education August 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover how integrating mentorship programs into community college curricula can empower first-generation and low-income students to build essential networks and achieve career success."

In today's competitive world, success isn't solely about what you know, but also about who you know. Skills, occupational identity, and social capital are the three pillars upon which successful careers are built, according to Fischer et al. (2018). While higher education institutions often focus on developing skills, the significance of occupational identity and social capital is frequently underestimated. Social capital, in particular, can be complex and costly to cultivate, leaving many students at a disadvantage.

Recognizing this gap, a new wave of research and innovative programs is emerging to address the social capital deficit, particularly among first-generation and underrepresented students. NSF-supported research is evaluating the effectiveness of a mentoring program integrated directly into course instruction within California Community Colleges. This approach aims to democratize access to social capital, making it an integral part of the educational experience.

This article dives into the groundbreaking work being done in California community colleges to integrate mentoring programs into the curriculum. By formalizing mentorship, these institutions are actively working to level the playing field, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to build the networks and relationships necessary for career advancement.

Why Social Capital Matters: Bridging the Gap for Community College Students

Students building a bridge of social connections toward graduation.

Social capital research has consistently demonstrated the value of relationships and networks in enhancing opportunities for first-generation and underrepresented students (Beals et al., 2021). As Mario Luis Small, a sociologist at Harvard University, articulated, institutions for higher education (IHE) can act as brokers of social capital (Small, 2009). The key is to intentionally integrate mentorship into the educational fabric.

The traditional approach of stand-alone, opt-in mentoring programs often misses the students who need it most. A more effective strategy involves embedding near-peer mentoring programs directly into the instruction and pedagogy of community college courses. This ensures that all students, regardless of their background or prior connections, have access to guidance and support.

Increased Self-Efficacy: Mentoring programs boost students' confidence in their skills and abilities.
Expanded Occupational Identities: Near-peer role models broaden students' perceptions of career possibilities.
Valuable Relationships: Mentorship fosters connections that contribute to students' social capital.

A mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews, was used to assess the impact of these integrated mentoring programs. The results indicated a consistent increase in student self-efficacy of skills and competencies (3%-7%) across colleges, geographies, and course formats after an 8-hour mentoring program. This highlights the potential of even brief, focused mentoring interventions to make a significant difference.

The Future of Mentoring: Integrating Social Capital into the Classroom

The research from California community colleges provides a compelling model for other institutions seeking to enhance student success. By reframing mentoring as a core component of instruction, colleges can equip students with the social capital they need to thrive in their careers and beyond. This proactive approach not only levels the playing field but also empowers students to become active agents in their own success stories.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2406.09554,

Title: California Community Colleges: Designing Mentoring Networks For Access To Social Capital

Subject: econ.gn q-fin.ec

Authors: A. Balaraman, S. Maokosy, L. Slaton, R. Cardona, P. Maokosy, N. Gaitan

Published: 13-06-2024

Everything You Need To Know

What is social capital and why is it important for community college students?

Social capital refers to the value of relationships and networks in enhancing opportunities. It's crucial for community college students because it provides access to crucial networks that can significantly impact their career prospects. Unlike skills, which are often the primary focus of educational institutions, social capital can be complex and costly to cultivate, especially for first-generation and underrepresented students. Building social capital allows students to expand their occupational identities, increase their self-efficacy, and form valuable relationships, all of which contribute to career success and overall well-being, as indicated by research from Beals et al. (2021).

How are California community colleges addressing the social capital gap through mentorship programs?

California community colleges are integrating mentorship programs directly into their course instruction and pedagogy to bridge the social capital gap. This approach ensures that all students, regardless of their background or prior connections, have access to guidance and support. By formalizing mentorship and embedding it within the curriculum, these colleges aim to democratize access to social capital, making it an integral part of the educational experience. This strategy contrasts with traditional, stand-alone mentorship programs, which often fail to reach the students who need them the most. This approach, highlighted by the NSF-supported research, is designed to level the playing field and provide all students with the opportunity to build networks necessary for career advancement.

What are the key benefits of integrating mentorship programs into community college courses?

Integrating mentorship programs offers several key benefits. These programs lead to increased self-efficacy, expanding students' confidence in their skills and abilities. They also broaden students' perceptions of career possibilities through exposure to near-peer role models. Additionally, mentorship fosters valuable relationships, which contribute significantly to students' social capital. Research shows even brief mentoring interventions, like an 8-hour program, can lead to a consistent increase in student self-efficacy (3%-7%) across various colleges, geographies, and course formats.

How does mentoring contribute to the development of occupational identity?

Mentoring plays a crucial role in expanding occupational identities. By connecting students with near-peer role models, mentoring programs broaden students' understanding of various career paths and possibilities. This exposure to different professions and experiences helps students envision their future roles and goals. The interaction with mentors provides insights into different occupations and the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in those fields, ultimately helping students define and solidify their own occupational identities. This is a key component, along with skills and social capital, for building successful careers, as highlighted by Fischer et al. (2018).

What does the future hold for mentoring in educational settings, and how can other institutions replicate the success seen in California community colleges?

The future of mentoring involves reframing it as a core component of instruction. The model developed by California community colleges provides a compelling example for other institutions. By integrating mentoring into the curriculum, colleges can equip students with the social capital they need to thrive in their careers. To replicate this success, other institutions should focus on embedding near-peer mentoring programs directly into the curriculum, ensuring that all students have access to guidance and support. This proactive approach levels the playing field and empowers students to take an active role in their own success. The key is to intentionally integrate mentorship into the educational fabric as suggested by Small (2009).