“Physically present, but emotionally present, too”: Graduates of Colour developing emotional intelligence as student employees

Despite a robust body of literature related to how institutions of higher education help prepare students for the workforce after graduation, little research has explored the lived experiences of Students of Colour as they reflect on their undergraduate employment as it relates to their development of marketable skills. Moreover, no studies have engaged with Graduates of Colour to understand whether they developed emotional intelligence as undergraduate student employees. To fill a considerable gap in the literature, this qualitative study, framed by Salovey and Mayer’s (1990) model of emotional intelligence, explored the undergraduate student affairs (student support) employment experiences of 12 Graduates of Colour (now professionals) to understand how they developed emotional intelligence to be more successful employees and leaders in their respective workplaces. The findings suggest Graduates of Colour developed all four tenets of emotional intelligence during their undergraduate employment experience, with direct impacts on their work in their careers. Implications for research and practice in universities are discussed.