The U.S. Latino population has surpassed 62 million and is projected to represent close to 29% of the entire U. S. population by 2060. Despite being the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States, Latinos hold the fewest college degrees compared to their peers. Current research illustrates that to address the lag in rates of degree…

Latinas continue to be underrepresented in doctoral studies, and there are many barriers that they encounter while pursuing a doctoral degree. This qualitative phenomenological study documents the experiences, challenges, and life events that Latina doctoral students face while pursuing a doctoral degree. The primary research question guiding the…

The purpose of this study is to explore the parental factors that impact Hispanics' post-secondary education completion. This is an important social issue as prior literature has indicated that educated parents have a strong influence on their children's abilities, knowledge, and values. For this study, 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews of…

Using data from the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), longitudinal trends in graduate degree completion rates for Hispanic and White students were analyzed over a period of 17 years (2002-2019). The results indicated that there was a significant positive…

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the personal experiences of Latina women who excelled in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) despite challenges amidst overlapping systems of discrimination. This study highlights the experiences of 10 Latina women who have attained or were in…

This study examines the extent to which parental involvement factors predict the likelihood of Hispanic non-native English speakers' (NNESs) postsecondary education (PES) enrollment after controlling for socioeconomic status and linguistic factors. A nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study dataset and a binary multilevel logistic…

In the face of environmental adversities, Latina college students demonstrate resilience. A psychosocial framework was applied in this study to evaluate perceptions of barriers (i.e., environmental risk), COVID-19 distress (i.e., personal vulnerability), social support (i.e., environmental protective), and mindfulness (i.e., personal strength) as…

Despite rising enrollment for first generation college students (FGCS) and Hispanic FGCS, there is a disparity in college graduation rates across the United State compared to other groups. FGCS and Hispanic FGCS have historically been faced with more factors that disrupt higher education success. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the…

The prevalence of whiteness at selective Historically White Institutions (HWIs) creates hostile and oppressive environments for Latinx/a/o students. Consequently, Latinx/a/o students face racialized barriers that impact their ability to thrive at these institutions. Yet, despite these racialized barriers, Latinx/a/o students have found ways to…

This study investigated the perceptions of student success of campus leaders at one Borderlands Hispanic-Serving Institution. The study incorporated 4 interviews, 9 observations, analysis of 23 documents as well as additional research to answer the research questions. The three themes emerged from the study were: (1) encouraging and empowering…

Early college high schools (ECHSs) have been proposed as a high school reform solution to improve college access and success among underserved and underrepresented students in higher education; however, little to no research has centered the experiences of Latinx/a/o students in ECHS. In response, I used critical narrative methodology to better…

In the United States, Latinas are underrepresented in obtaining PhDs that lead to high level professional careers and academia. This may be due, in part, to patriarchal academic institutions and approaches that have historically devalued the cultural experiences and identities of marginalized populations, including Latinas in higher education.…

According to the Pew Research Center (2016), there are approximately 3.9 million children in the U.S. educational system who have at least one undocumented parent. This study aims to explore the academic experiences of Latinx college students in mixed-status families to find ways in which institutions can better support them on their higher…

This study was conducted at a small public university located in New Mexico, in the southwest area of the United States. The purpose of the study was to understand persistence to degree attainment of undergraduate nontraditional Hispanic women (NTHW) students at an institution which is Hispanic-serving (HSI). Challenges for NTHW students on the…

In 2019 more than half of the nation's population under age 16 identified as a racial or ethnic minority. As of 2014, Latinx in California surpassed whites as the state's largest ethnic group and today, more than 200 different languages are spoken. This makes California home to one of the most diverse student populations in the world. However,…