This study explored the reasons Latin@s join Latino fraternities and Latina sororities at a university in the southwestern United States. Via a phenomenological approach, it uncovered the unique placement of Latino Greek-letter organizations and their role in the success of Latin@ students by embodying the intersectionality of academics, social…

As the Latino population continues to grow in the United States, it is important for Latino youth, and specifically, Latino males, to obtain a college degree. As other demographic groups graduate from colleges and universities across the country, Latino males continue to lag behind their non-Latino peers in obtaining their college degrees.…

Contribution: This study demonstrates the efficacy of an ecological belonging intervention in a first-year engineering programming course to increase belonging for Black, Latinx, and Indigenous (BLI) students and close academic equity gaps. Background: Introductory programming courses are often challenging for students and can shape belonging in…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented educational disruption in institutions throughout the United States and the world. Research shows that such disruptions have a disproportionately negative impact on ethnic minorities. Researchers at a federally designated Minority- and Hispanic-serving four-year university deployed the Achievement…

A quantitative studies systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted to explore the risk and protective factors among Latinx college students' mental health. This systematic review also aimed to identify the relevant demographic variability to the mental health of Latinx college students, and the relationship between mental health and…

In 2023, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools elevated the voices of charter school students, educators, families, and advocates. The organization persevered through challenges and expanded access to high quality public charter schools for a greater number of students around the nation. This annual report covers what the sector…

There is growing evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic had a large and negative impact on student learning. This dissertation explores the effect of the pandemic on one of the most vulnerable student subgroups: English Learners (ELs). In this work I examine existing disparities among subgroups of ELs, and the different ways the pandemic has impacted…

This study presents a comparative analysis to measure the effect of a special program designed to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) among Hispanic students at a Hispanic Serving Institution in Texas. In this study, it was hypothesized that the special program would deliver positive academic effects for the students…

"Racial Opportunity Cost" turns critical attention to the specific challenges faced by high-achieving students of color and gives educators a framework for recognizing and addressing these issues. Terah Venzant Chambers roots her discussion in the concept of racial opportunity cost, using a term borrowed from economics to refer to the…

A significant body of research has now established the critical importance of academic engagement and motivation in determining adolescents' academic outcomes. Researchers have also begun examining how these factors may differentially impact different ethnic groups, such as Latinos. However, few studies have examined the combined, and potentially…

Examining how departments in Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) construct supportive organizational cultures can offer insights on how other institutions can also build inclusive environments to promote minoritized student success, even in less diverse science fields. Studying the organizational behavior of HSI computer science departments…

We examine the labor supply decisions of substitute teachers -- a large, on-demand market with broad shortages and inequitable supply. In 2018, Chicago Public Schools implemented a targeted bonus program designed to reduce unfilled teacher absences in largely segregated Black schools with historically low substitute coverage rates. Using a…

African American and Latino males' success in postsecondary education depends on several factors. Retention and persistence are one of the most studied factors for exploring the success of African American and Latino male college students. However, few studies focus on the influence of the major selection process on their persistence and…

This mixed methods study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to determine the fit of a model of thriving in 264 adult Hispanic undergraduates, then performed a content analysis of student comments. Thriving was defined as intellectual, interpersonal, and psychological engagement in the student experience. The student comments confirmed the SEM…

This study explores the parental support first-generation Latinas have received, and recognizes the skills, knowledge, and various forms of support that Latinx parents can and have provided their daughters when they seek a college education. Through a community cultural wealth framework, this study adds to the current literature on Latina and…