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Recent research in psychology introduces "grit" as a characteristic observable in successful students (Duckworth, 2016). Popular applications of the grit framework can further the notion of "rugged individualism," placing the onus of achievement upon the individual. This perspective can lead failures to be considered the result of deficiencies, overlooking effects of structural factors associated with learning. Sociologically, certain applications of grit can be limited in explaining mobility: they may not address the social contexts of the people they assess; or, they may lack a dynamic understanding of students' cultures. This article applies a qualitative, sociological framework offering "agency" as a concept to complement grit and understand social structures, which facilitate student mobility. Through in-depth interviews, this research gives voice to students who experienced significant upward mobility, despite low-income backgrounds. These cases suggest that interplay between personal agency and a supportive social structure is necessary for students to navigate barriers towards academic and professional success.

In discussing what young people need in order to thrive in school and work environments, the existing education and workforce literature largely credits the types of social and cultural capital that are gained from middle-class upbringings, and rarely are working-class and low-income counterparts valued or considered conducive to achievement. In this research paper, we discuss how minoritized students from low-income homes described their first experiences in summer internships and their earliest memories related to work. Our student participants, 25 Bronx high school seniors, largely credited their guardians' and family members' work ethic (cultural capital) in working-class jobs as critical in their own motivational development. Our findings indicate that the experiences underrepresented youth have at home, through lessons and examples, lead to positive benefits and the development of certain forms of cultural capital, which can lead to academic success and occupational identity formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that health problems are becoming increasingly complex and prevalent among college students, while largely going without recognition or treatment. Low-income racial minority students may have additional personal and academic issues associated with demonstrating grit and overcoming barriers to entry (i.e. institutional racism) over the course of their lives. When the campus environment is not socially or culturally supportive of racial minority and first-generation college students, there is an added risk of mental health deterioration stemming from isolation for these students. The struggle to persist in college, and do so alone, can lead many to experience symptoms of impending "burnout," or disengagement from academic settings. Drawing from a sample of interviews with low-income racial minority strivers--students who were once highly engaged--this paper offers insight into both causes and solutions for college burnout. Findings suggest that it is important to understand how experiences of isolation manifest to better support minority student populations and foster their academic reengagement to achieve at high levels. This paper outlines recommendations for improving the college experiences of racial minority and first-generation students, including examples of resources and recommendations to improve the higher education landscape towards more inclusivity and equity.

If students from all backgrounds and advantages were given equal opportunity to succeed, how would this change our schools? Anindya Kundu examines two New York City schools--Medgar Evers College Prep and The James Baldwin School--and how their energized school culture contributes to the success of all students. By leading with consistency, equality, and persistence, the administration at both these schools teach the power of role models, scholarship, community service, and character.

Research, as well as mainstream culture, may be too quick to label parenting young people of color (which we define as being under or near the age of 20 when having a child) as delinquent and "at risk". Using qualitative data, we offer anti-deficit framing surrounding students of color with children, highlighting the unique achievements of a set of "parent-strivers" despite the natural challenges of unexpectant parenthood. Our findings suggest that the parenting and academic identities of low-income people of color can be mutually beneficial and reinforced through positive schooling influences; we challenge the idea that education becomes a secondary priority after one becomes a parent. This paper answers the call for a better "articulation of agency" within exclusionary institutions. It contributes a rare acknowledgment of positive family outcomes to offset the concept of risk monopolizing the field and leaving us without support-oriented thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizobia-legume interactions recruit cytokinin for the induction of nodule primordia in the cortex. Cytokinin signaling regulates auxin transport and biosynthesis, causing local auxin accumulation, which triggers cortical cell division. Since sugar signaling can trigger auxin responses, we explored whether sugar treatments could rescue symbiosis in the Medicago truncatula cytokinin response 1 (cre1) mutant. Herein, we demonstrate that sucrose and its nonmetabolizable isomer turanose can trigger auxin response and recover functional symbiosis in cre1, indicating sucrose signaling to be necessary for the restoration of symbiosis. In both M. truncatula A17 (wild type) and cre1, sucrose signaling significantly upregulated IAA-Ala Resistant 3 (IAR33), encoding an auxin conjugate hydrolase, in rhizobia-infected as well as in uninfected roots. Knockdown of IAR33 (IAR33-KD) significantly reduced nodulation in A17, highlighting the importance of deconjugation-mediated auxin accumulation during nodule inception. In cre1, IAR33-KD restricted the sucrose-mediated restoration of functional symbiosis, suggesting that deconjugation-mediated auxin accumulation plays a key role in the absence of CRE1-mediated auxin biosynthesis and transport control. Overexpression of IAR33 also restored functional symbiosis in cre1, further suggesting that IAR33 mediates auxin accumulation in response to sucrose signaling. Since all the observed sucrose-mediated responses were common to A17 and cre1, deconjugation-mediated auxin response appeared to be independent of CRE1, which normally governs local auxin accumulation in the presence of rhizobia. We propose that sucrose-dependent restoration of symbiosis in cre1 occurs by the activation of IAR33-mediated auxin deconjugation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]