Cultivating Connections: Toward a Framework for Equity in Social Capital Development in College and Career Pathways

Journal of College Access Volume 10 Issue 3 Caeer Pathways and Social Capital Article 3 8-2025 Cultivating Connections: Toward a Framework for Equity in Social Capital Development in College and Career Pathways Samantha L. Perez Education Strategy Group, Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Perez, Samantha L. (2025) "Cultivating Connections: Toward a Framework for Equity in Social Capital Development in College and Career Pathways," Journal of College Access: Vol. 10: Iss. 3, Article 3. Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol10/iss3/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western Michigan University at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of College Access by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact . Cultivating Connections: Toward a Framework for Equity in Social Capital Development in College and Career Pathways Authored by Samantha Perez (EducaƟon Strategy Group) ABSTRACT Introduction The a en on on college and career pathways over the last decade has revitalized interest in key ac vi es like early career explora on, work-based learning, and labor market alignment of career and technical educa on. One essen al element of this work, and perhaps among the most cri cal, has not received as much a en on. Research shows that social capital—the rela onships and networks an individual has and their ability to build, leverage, and mobilize them— is o en how people get access to new informa on and educa onal and career opportuni es; however, it is not something that most school systems have made an explicit priority for preparing students for postsecondary educa on and career. Given the con nued underrepresenta on of certain student groups (BIPOC, first genera on, low income) in both postsecondary educa on and high-wage, highdemand careers, there is an equity impera ve to systemically integrate purposeful social capital development into pathways, ensuring that all students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, networks, and access to opportuni es to achieve their educa onal and professional goals. Through two years of direct work with ten communi es across the United States, Educa on Strategy Group (ESG) has developed a three-phase implementa on framework for how educa onal leaders can priori ze and implement social capital development in their college and career pathways, along with key lessons informed by focus groups conducted with each community. We discuss lessons learned through this work, introduce the framework and anchor tools, and outline opportuni es for broader adop on and scale. S ocial capital—the relationships and networks an individual has and their ability to build, leverage, and mobilize them—can unlock doors to new opportunities and help expand an individual’s perception of educational and career possibilities. Over the past few years, social capital has received increasing attention among education thought leaders as a critical component of economic mobility and career pathways (Chetty et al., 2022; Jobs for the Future, 2023; Gandal, 2024; Freeland Fisher and Charania, 2021; Won, 2023) and worthy of more purposeful integration into the educational system, though academic research has long recognized the impact of social capital within education (Dika and Singh, 2002; Ellison, Wohn and Greenhow, 2014; Vaughan et al. 2014; Mishra, 2020; Saw, 2020) and workforce (Becker, 1977; McDonald and Elder Jr., 2006; Smith, 2005). Despite recognition of its importance, social capital has not been an explicit priority among state and district leaders and the field remains nascent in the available resources and supports to guide them in this work. Keywords: social capital, pathways, equity, college and career, tools, framework Volume 10 | August 2025 | Issue 3 (Special Issue: Career) 12 Cultivating connections Education Strategy Group (ESG), a missiondriven organization that supports education leaders across the U.S. in building highquality college and career pathways, spent two years working directly with ten communities to integrate social capital more intentionally into their pathways work. As a result of the learning from this local work, ESG developed Cultivating Connections, a three-phase framework for how educational leaders can prioritize and implement social capital development in their college and career pathways, along with relevant tools and resources to help communities better recognize the assets they already have and see the connection to their larger goals. This article provides a concise overview of the project and key learnings, introduces the Cultivating Connections framework, and discusses implications and additional recommendations for the field. There is a strong equity imperative for this work. Addressing inequities in postsecondary education, workforce outcomes, and economic opportunity requires addressing inequities in social networks — and that work must start long before a student enters the labor market. Research shows that people often get access to new information and educational and career opportunities through their personal and professional networks (Granovetter 1973; Greenberg and Fernandez 2016; Rajkumar et al 2022), yet few education systems identify social capital development as a critical component in their college and career preparation priorities. This despite the fact that expanding student connections and giving them the tools, confidence, and knowhow to leverage their relationships can be an avenue for helping them achieve their immediate and long-term goals. Indeed, if embedded within educational pathways, social capital tools and strategies have the potential to better connect students to key individuals who can help them understand their postsecondary education and career options, prepare for the requirements and expectations of their chosen occupation, and begin to build a strong occupational identity. Regrettably, this is too often left to chance. As they work to prepare students for college and career, education systems must more intentionally work to help students build and leverage their connections. This starts with making social capital an explicit and intentional priority in their work and putting the pieces in place to ensure this work is connected, equitable, and systemic. Volume 10 | August 2025 | Issue 3 (Special Issue: Career) Literature Review Workforce and career pathways are receiving a great deal of attention, with more policy leaders making both areas a core priority of their education agendas (Goodman, Otero, Martinez & Andara, 2024; Peisach and SilvaPadrón, 2024). This is perhaps unsurprising given reports over the past few years that people are losing faith in the value of college and are seeking alternative paths that lead to good jobs without the price tag of a four-year degree (Fry, Braga & (...truncated)