The Impact of Multicultural Training on the Cultural Competency Levels of Resident Advisors

U.S. universities are becoming more diverse within the areas of race, gender, socioeconomic status, and ability (US Department of Education, 2022). Moreover, studies have revealed that university members lack cultural competency or the ability to effectively navigate an intercultural environment, even noting the presence of bias within higher education, contributing to student isolation and attrition (Enyeart Smith et al., 2017; NCES, 2022; Rodriguez-Izquierdo, 2022; Sandell & Tupy, 2015; Sheridan, 2001; Sierra-Huedo & Nevado-Llopis, 2022; Wolf, 2016). Much of the available literature has examined the cultural competency of university students, faculty, or leadership (Booker et al., 2016; Chen & Yang 2022; Hudson, 2020 Rodriguez-Izquierdo, 2022; Sandell & Tupy, 2015; Sierra-Huedo & Nevado-Llopis, 2022). Little to no research has been conducted on university staff, particularly resident advisors who uniquely serve as both university students and staff. The present qualitative study investigated the impact of multicultural training on the cultural competency of public university resident advisors as well as identified factors that influence said impact. Thirty-one workbooks taken from a multicultural training session for training improvement were used. Two major findings were revealed: a dominant stagnation in cultural competency levels of participants after multicultural training and a dominant accepting view of culture. This research contributes to the importance of resident life in cultural competency development and its relation to students’ sense of belonging and academic success. It is recommended that future studies examine the effects of longitudinal multicultural training on the cultural competency levels of resident advisors.