Students' perspectives on culturally responsive instruction (or lack thereof) in higher education

In recent years, there has been an influx of diverse students entering higher education (Mishra, 2019). Though the representation of students is widening, the curriculum has not adapted to the population it purports to serve. When academia disregards students' cultural influences, there is an opportunity to miss connections that foster learning, growth, equity, and inclusion (Fuentes et al., 2019). Depriving diverse students of a versatile multicultural learning environment has been shown to decrease their academic performance, perceived social status, engagement, and motivation. (Blume, 2016; Phillips et al, 2020). Not only are students involuntarily subjected to a homogenized perspective, but emerging research surrounding decolonizing the curriculum tends to exclude underrepresented students' voices. This chapter provides narratives by minoritized students who have navigated academia in hopes of advancing those currently pursuing higher education. The authors' aim is to enhance the book by including student voices to ensure the curriculum is truly culturally responsive.